


Deserved

by pcworth



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2018-10-29 09:35:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 40,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10851261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pcworth/pseuds/pcworth
Summary: Regina is attacked, but refuses to tell Emma what happened. When more attacks occur, Emma can't understand why Regina won't let her help her.





	1. Chapter 1

Emma pulled into the drive, parked the Bug and got out of the car before Henry even did.

"What do you think is for dinner?" she asked when he finally did get out.

It was Sunday and Emma was returning Henry to Regina after spending the weekend with him. They had managed to share custody of him without bothering with courts or documentation and it had been working well for the last eight months.

It had been going so well that on Sundays Emma, if she didn't have someplace else to be (which she made sure she didn't), usually got an invite in for dinner.

"Hard to say," Henry said. "I'm pretty sure she has already made every one of your favorite meals."

"Please, she hasn't even scratched the surface of all the things I like."

They walked up to the house and Henry turned the doorknob but found it locked. While both thought it odd, neither commented while Henry got out his key and unlocked it. Henry entered first and stopped immediately. The stand just inside the foyer which always had a vase on it was toppled over, the vase broken and the flowers it once held were lying limp on the floor.

"Mom?" he called out in the eerily quiet house.

When there was no answer, Emma grabbed him and pulled him back behind her. She advanced, taking a peek in the main room. The glass coffee table was shattered and there were other signs of a struggle.

Yelling Regina's name, she got no answer. She turned to Henry. "Outside now."

"No."

"Henry, don't argue with me. Outside now. Get in the car. Lock the door. Call your grandfather, tell him to get over here," she said. "I'm going to search the house. If you see anyone but me leave it, you honk the horn, but you do not leave the car. Do you understand me?"

He looked past her, hoping to see if his other mother would appear. She gave him a little push toward the door and he reluctantly left.

She didn't have her gun on her – Regina didn't like her wearing it to dinner. It was in the lockbox in the car but she wasn't about to leave the house to retrieve it until she knew Regina was safe. Her magic would just have to do for now.

"Regina," she called out once more. Again no answer.

She went past the main room, heading toward the kitchen. Nothing appeared to be out of place. She walked around it, looking for any clue, and it struck her that nothing was out of place, as in nothing was out – Regina hadn't been in here making dinner or anything.

Moving quicker, she checked the dining room, the bathroom, the library on the main floor, leaving her only with Regina's home office before going upstairs. She carefully opened the door and seeing Regina in her desk chair in the middle of the room she ran to her.

"Regina," she said, putting her hand on the other woman's shoulder. Regina's head was slumped forward, her arms were pulled behind her and Emma was about to raise Regina's head when she heard a barely perceptible ticking. She moved to look at the chair from behind. Regina's hands were secured back there with handcuffs, which were tight against her skin. The cuffs had wires wrapped around them which led to a device sitting on the floor. It had a clock on it and it was the source of the ticking noise. It was only a couple of seconds before it hit the top of the hour.

Before Emma could tear the wires from the cuffs it hit 6 p.m. and she heard not an explosion like she feared but electricity. Regina's entire body shook as the electricity coursed through it. Emma tore the wires off and a moment later Regina's body stopped.

"Regina," Emma said, moving to the front again. She raised up Regina's head, seeing a deep bruise along the side of her face. She pulled the gag that was in her mouth down. "Regina. Come on, open your eyes."

She could see Regina was breathing even if it sounded a little uneven.

"Emma!"

Emma backed up the doorway, seeing her dad at the front door, his gun drawn.

"Call an ambulance," she said.

…

Emma was tired as she shifted uncomfortably in a chair in Regina's hospital room. Regina lay sleeping on the bed and had been for hours. It was nearly 3 a.m. and Henry was asleep in a chair next to his mother's bed.

Dr. Whale said they would need to wait until Regina woke to determine if there was any damage to her cognitive abilities or anything else. Her wrists were bandaged up from the electrical burns from the cuffs and they were continuously monitoring her heart as the electrical current could have affected its rhythm.

From the previous experience with Greg, Emma knew that the electrical current would have prevented Regina from using her magic, hence how whoever did this was able to subdue her.

They had searched the house from top to bottom but found no sign of forced entry and no clues to who had done this.

Her father had determined that the box had been set up to give a fairly low voltage current every 20 minutes. Emma wanted to argue the point of it being low voltage but didn't say anything.

There was also a manual switch for controlling the voltage and the when it was administered. But there were no fingerprints on the box or any hairs or fibers left behind on Regina to give them a place to start either.

The strange thing was that the handcuffs were the same as they used down at the sheriff's office. In fact they used her father's key to unlock them as they all used the same key. They did an inventory but found no set of handcuffs missing.

Now all they could do is wait until Regina woke so she could tell them who did this.

Emma didn't figure she was going to be getting any sleep herself, but she wanted to make sure she was there when Regina woke.

It wasn't until the next morning, nearly 10 a.m., before Regina began wake. At first it was a couple of small movements that alerted them to the possibility she might wake. A few minutes later her eyes opened and then closed – an action she repeated several times before her eyes stayed open.

"Mom," Henry said, squeezing her hand. "Are you ok?"

"H … Henry," she said, as she took in her surroundings. She started to sit up but then thought better of it, her hand reaching up to her forehead.

"Are you ok?" he asked again.

"Yes," she said. "Just a headache. I'll be fine."

"Hey," Emma said, coming closer. "Can I get you anything? Water, anything?"

"No," she said.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Um … I …"

"Regina, you are awake." Snow entered the room, bringing a vase of flowers with her. She sat it down on the table next to the bed. "How are you?"

A beeping noise drew their attention to Regina's heart monitor, which was showing an increase in heart rate. Emma looked at Regina, whose mouth was still partly open from when she was speaking, but she was looking at Snow. Then she suddenly turned from Snow and looked up at the ceiling.

"Mom?" Henry said.

Henry's voice seemed to knock Regina out of her silence. She licked her lips and her eyes met Emma's. "I um I don't remember what happened." She exhaled deeply and Emma glanced again at the heart monitor which had gone down some but still seemed high.

Her inner sense was also telling her that Regina was lying. She wondered why, and when she saw Regina looking at Henry she thought maybe Regina was just saying that while Henry was there. Maybe she didn't want Henry knowing what happened.

The fact that Regina didn't seem surprised she was in the hospital nor was she questioning her injuries had Emma believing that this was indeed a lie.

"That's ok," Emma said. "The important thing is you are alright."

"Yes," Snow said. "And if you need anything, all you have to do is let us know. We're all here for you."

"I'm still tired actually," Regina said. "Perhaps I should rest some more."

"That's probably a good idea," Emma said. "Mom, Henry, why don't you go let Dr. Whale know Regina is awake, that way if he needs to check on her before she rests, he can."

Henry looked at Regina, who nodded at him that he should go. The moment they were out the door, Emma turned back to Regina.

"Now that we're alone, do you want to tell me what really happened?"

"I told you, I don't remember."

"Bullshit," Emma said. "You know I know when you are lying and I can tell this is one of the times where you are. Tell me who did this to you."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"Just drop it okay."

"I'm not going to drop it," Emma said. "I found you bound to a chair where someone had been electrocuting you. At the very least that is assault, at the worst it's attempted murder."

"I'm not interested in pressing charges or anything," Regina said. "Leave it alone."

"Did that electricity fry your brain? You gotta give me something here," Emma said. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when Henry and I got to your house and found shit broken and you weren't answering to us yelling your name? Look, if you are afraid of this person coming back and doing something, I'll protect you, but you gotta tell me who did this."

"I don't have to do anything Miss Swan," Regina said. It had been a long time since she had used "Miss Swan" on her. "I appreciate your concern, but if you need some official statement from me, it's that I don't remember what happened. That is all I have to say about it."

Emma backed up a step not understanding what was going on here. Before she could question her further, Dr. Whale came in.

…..

Regina didn't sleep once she was left alone – she couldn't. She wanted nothing more than to leave the hospital but Dr. Whale had insisted she stay overnight and he had some tests scheduled for later to make sure there was no permanent damage – beyond the memory loss the claimed.

The entire time Whale was speaking to her she could feel Emma's gaze on her. While she hoped for once Emma would listen to her and drop it, she doubted it would happen.

But Emma of all people could never find out what had happened and why.

It was Sunday morning but closing in on noon and Regina had just got around to thinking about what to cook for dinner. Since she knew Emma would most likely be joining her and Henry for the meal she considered what she hadn't made yet that Emma might like to try.

She hadn't made a bad choice yet.

Their Sunday dinners had evolved slowly. At first all her and Emma could manage to talk about was city business. Then it turned into other safe topics like Henry. But slowly their talks had become about anything and everything.

Regina realized she looked forward to Sunday dinners and she would be sad when Emma had a family of her own to spend Sunday dinners with. Shaking the thought from her head she began to go to the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

When she opened the door Snow and Charming were there both with smiles on their faces.

"Can we come in?" Snow asked.

"Sure," Regina said, having no idea what would bring the first couple of Storybrooke to her doorstep.

They entered and Regina shut the door behind them, but as she turned toward them to ask why they had come Charming's right hook knocked her unconscious.

She had no idea how long she had been out when she opened her eyes to find she was bound to her office chair. Snow was standing in front of her and she could hear Charming behind her.

"What is going on here?" Regina demanded.

"What is going on is that we're here to deliver a little message. One I'm sure you will take to heart, assuming you still have one that works when we're done with you," Snow said.

Regina wasn't sure if she was dreaming or what. She and Snow had agreed to let the past live in the past. In fact, she almost dared to say she had become friendly with Snow and Charming.

"Release me," Regina said.

"I don't think so," Snow said and she made a movement with her hand – a signal of some sort to her husband. Regina heard what sounded like a switch and then she was gritting her teeth as the electricity coursed through her body. It went on for what seemed like minutes to her even though it was probably less than one.

She breathed out rapidly once it stopped.

"What are you doing?" she asked Snow.

Her answer was another shock of electricity. And that is how it went – every time Regina would try to find out what was going on and even when she just went silent, another shock would be administered. With the electricity constantly being thrown into her she was unable to use her magic to help herself.

And perhaps the most disturbing part was how quiet Snow and Charming were being. They weren't talking to her or saying anything to each other.

She had no idea how long this went on but she was starting to lose consciousness when Snow grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at her.

"Let this be a lesson to you," she said. "You think you can just go around town pretending you have redeemed yourself. You have too much blood on your hands for that to ever happen. Just think about it. Even if you were to tell anyone about what happened here today – who would believe you? No one. Because they know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys. And even if someone was foolish enough to believe you, they would still think that you got exactly what you deserved."

"Now we're going to give you some time to think about all of this," Snow added, as she let go of Regina's chin. "You aren't queen anymore. You don't get to call the shots. Consider this a coup of sorts."

Charming yanked back on her hair from behind. "And stay away from our daughter."

He let go and the switch was flipped again.

Once it was done this time, she was breathing hard and there was nothing she could do as a gag was placed in her mouth. She could hear Charming doing something behind her and then Snow patted her on the cheek the two left her there. At first she thought they maybe had only left the room. Then the first of the automatic shocks coursed through her.

It took her a while to count the space between them and realize it was set to go off every 20 minutes. She had no idea when her world was reduced to the sound of the electricity and the pain it caused. She had no conception of time long before she finally passed out.

Her last thought was what Snow had said, "they would still think that you got exactly what you deserved."

Thinking about it now, a shudder ran through her. She didn't know what had prompted Snow and Charming to go after her. She wasn't even sure what the point of it was. The only real direct thing that had been said to her was for her to stay away from Emma.

Was that what it was all about? Did they object so much to her being friends with Emma that they would go to these lengths?

It didn't make sense to her, but for the time being at least, she thought it would be best if she limited her contact with the sheriff.

….

Emma didn't know what to do about Regina. She knew the other woman was lying about not knowing what had happened but she had tried and failed at coming up with a reason why. Well, one idea had come into her mind but she had rejected it. She even felt bad for thinking it but she had wondered if Regina was not saying because she had planned on taking care of it in her own way. Emma didn't believe that was the case though. Regina had changed. Emma had witnessed that change first hand and she was happy that she and Regina had become friends.

She had tried talking to Regina again at the hospital and again after she was discharged but had been rebuffed each time.

It had now been more than two weeks since it happened and Emma had moved from Regina just needing some time to process all of this to the idea that Regina was outright avoiding her. She had tried calling, texting, showing up at the house and office and each time she either didn't get an answer or was politely turned away. There hadn't even been a Sunday dinner invite since it happened.

Henry had also tried to get Regina to talk about it but had gotten the now standard answer of she couldn't remember. While she hadn't told Henry that she suspected Regina was lying, she did ask him to keep an eye on her and make sure she was alright overall. He had reported back that he didn't think his mom was sleeping very well. He had heard her get up several times and go downstairs.

Regina had once confessed to her that she had nightmares of things that had been done to her by her mother and the things she had done to other people. Emma hoped a new nightmare hadn't been added to the mix.

She had told her parents about her suspicion that Regina was lying but they too had no idea why she would lie when she was the victim in all of this. They too had not seen much of Regina since it happened. Snow said she saw Regina coming out of City Hall one day while Snow was out with Neal in the stroller but Regina had quickly gotten into her car and left before Snow could even say anything. So it wasn't just her that Regina was giving a wide berth to, but the question remained why.

This time Emma was determined to find out. Since Regina wasn't willing to speak to her through normal channels, Emma had called Regina's secretary and gotten on her schedule. There was no way Regina could avoid her now.

The appointment was the first one of the morning so Emma arrived a few minutes earlier.

"Hello sheriff," the secretary said.

"I'm here to see Regina."

"Yes, I'm sorry but the mayor called this morning to say she won't be able to meet with you this morning as other matters have come up. You did say when you made the appointment that it wasn't an emergency. Would you like to reschedule?"

Emma had her hands on her hips trying not to let her frustration out. "No," she said. "I'll get with the mayor later."

Emma left the building, but she didn't go far. Instead she went to the car and radioed the station to let them know she wasn't going to be in for a while and to contact her if needed. Then she began to sit there knowing that sooner or later Regina would show up to the office.

As it was, she almost missed it when Regina did show up to work as she wasn't driving the Mercedes. No she was in a sedan that Emma recognized as the one that the local garage often let people use as a rental while their cars were being worked on. As soon as Regina was parked, Emma was on the move toward her.

"Car problems this morning madam mayor," Emma said as Regina was getting out. She hadn't exactly snuck up on Regina but she had startled her and Regina dropped her purse. Emma bent down and picked it up, handing it back to her.

"You canceled our appointment this morning," Emma said when Regina didn't say anything.

"As you can see, I did have a bit of an issue with the car this morning."

"I hope it's not that big of a fix, I know how much you love that car of yours."

"Yes, well, sorry, but I have to get in there."

Regina sidestepped her and began walking toward the building, but Emma caught up to her. "Perhaps we could have that meeting now," Emma said.

"I'm afraid now won't work. I have other meetings scheduled and I'm running behind."

"Regina wait," Emma said, grabbing her forearm. She noticed Regina wince as she did it. Not waiting, she pulled back the sleeve of Regina's jacket and shirt to reveal bruising along her arm. "What the hell! What happened?"

"Let go of me," Regina said pulling away from her and rearranging her clothes so the bruises were no longer showing.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on here? Where did you get those bruises?"

"It's not any of your concern, sheriff."

"The hell it isn't," Emma protested. "Regina, you have to tell me what is going on with you. First the electrocution and now this, if someone is doing this to you and you know who it is, you have to tell me."

"I don't know how else to say it, but my life isn't your concern so stay out of it."

Regina didn't allow for anything else to be said as she walked away. Emma stood there a moment, debating whether she should follow her in or not. She opted for not making the situation worse than it already was for now. No, if Regina wasn't going to help her find out who did this, she would do it on her own. She got back to her car and sat there for several minutes to consider her next move. She looked over at the rental car and then started her own car.

When she pulled into the garage, she didn't immediately see the Mercedes but she walked up to Michael.

"Morning sheriff. Cruiser need a tune up?" he asked.

"No, it's running fine," she said. "I'm here about Regina's car."

"Oh she decided to file a report did she? Told her she ought to, but she said she wasn't going to bother and she just wanted the damage fixed."

"What kind of damage?"

"All four tires were slashed, broken windshield and driver's side window. Some dents – looks like someone hit it with something, baseball bat maybe," he said, directing her over to where the car saw. "It's going to take a little while to get back in shape."

Emma took out her phone and began to take pictures.

"When did this happen?" Emma asked.

"Don't know for sure. I guess last night or this morning. She called it in this morning. We sent the car and the tow truck for her."

Henry had been with her last night so if something had happened Regina would have been there alone. Emma circled the car taking pictures and looking for any clues.

As if she didn't need anymore proof that something was going on with Regina, the car and the new bruises proved it.

And whether Regina wanted her involved or not, she was going to make this her priority.


	2. Chapter 2

Regina didn't get a lot of work done that day. She felt like she hadn't had a good day since this all started. She thought the electrocution would be enough. She had done as she was told and had avoided all contact with Emma at least as much as she could avoid it. Emma had kept seeking her out though.

Then last night she had again not slept well. She went downstairs to get a drink of water. While down there she thought she heard something outside. Putting the glass on the stand in the foyer she unlocked the front door. She stepped out onto the porch.

As soon as she did she saw a shadow off to her right. That is when she realized her garage door was partially up. She remembered closing it when she pulled the car in tonight. She backed up into the house and decided to go to the garage from the inside entrance. She opened the door and reached for the light switch, but as she did someone grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.

She was shoved to the floor, her arm wrenched behind her back and she felt a knee in the small of her back.

It was then that she saw there was more than just the person holding her down in the garage.

It was the dwarves.

They stepped out from behind her car.

"Not feeling so mighty now are you, your majesty," said the voice belonging to the person who was holding her down. She recognized it was Grumpy.

"Let go of me," she said trying to struggle to get free.

"Maybe you didn't understand the first message," he said. "But I think you will get this one."

One of the dwarves had a crowbar in his hand and he struck the headlight of her car. She watched helpless as they broke out her windows, pounded on the doors and hood and slashed the tires.

When it was finally over the dwarves ducked under the garage door and ran off. Before Grumpy got off of her, he again told her this is what she deserved and again to stay away from Emma. He wrenched her arm one more time before leaving.

She got off the floor, taking a seat on the steps and looked at her destroyed car. Why was this happening, she thought as the sat there, her arm cradled against her.

Then as soon as she gets to work today there was Emma. The last person she needed to see was of course right there. When Emma had touched her arm, she flinched as Emma's hand had landed on the deep bruising. Still, she hadn't expected Emma to reveal the bruising.

She didn't understand why any of this was even happening but clearly the message was she was to stay away from Emma.

How to get Emma to stay away from her was now her problem.

She knew Emma well enough now to know that Emma wasn't going to leave this alone.

But she had to find a way.

When Regina left work, she took the rental car home – already missing the smooth ride of her Mercedes.

Instead of pulling it into the garage like she normally she would do, she had no desire to enter it for now, so she left the car in the drive.

She walked to the front door – moving a little slow as her back began to hurt after sitting at her desk all day. She had bruises on her back as well from where Grumpy had pushed his knee into it. Getting inside, Henry was there in the living room playing a video game.

"Hi mom," he said. "What's for dinner?"

If Regina was thankful about anything it was that Henry hadn't been here during either attack.

"I have a bit of a headache," she said. "How about you order some pizza. I'm going to lay down."

"Are you ok?" he asked, pausing his game and looked at her.

She gave him the best smile she could manage. "Yes," she said. "Just a headache. I'll come down and have some food later, ok?"

"Yeah," Henry said. "Any preference for the pizza?"

"Whatever you like is fine with me," she said as she got some money out and put it on the coffee table for him.

She gave him another smile and headed upstairs. Even though she said she was going to lie down she ended up taking a shower – feeling dirty even though she showered after the incident. She tried not to let her eyes linger on the bruises.

Once she was done showering she changed into her night clothes and laid down. She was tired but she didn't feel like sleeping. Instead her mind kept replaying what had happened.

Henry knocked on the door at some point and she pretended to be asleep even as he opened the door and said mom. When the door shut again, she opened her eyes and she stayed there for hours until sleep finally came.

….

Emma went to her parents' that night to ask them their opinion of what she should do. She hadn't told her father about what happened during her encounter with Regina even though he was at the station with her most of the day. She didn't feel like repeating the story twice which is why she asked to come over to speak with them.

They were all sitting at the table as Emma relayed what happened. By the end of the telling Charming was on his feet, his arms crossed in front of him.

"It doesn't make any sense," he said. "If someone is hurting her, why wouldn't she report it or at least tell you?"

"I don't know, that's what I'm trying to figure out," Emma said. "I thought maybe you two might have an idea who could be targeting her – maybe this has something to do with when she was queen."

"It could, but while Regina is not the same person she once was, it would be a long list of suspects if someone wanted to get revenge on her for what she did in the past," Snow said. "Do you think I should go talk to her? She might be more receptive to someone who knew her back then if this is what it is about."

"Again, I don't know," Emma said getting frustrated. Her phone buzzed and she took it out and quickly typed a message.

"Problem?" Charming asked.

"It's from Henry. Regina came home, went straight to bed without eating. The kid is worried about her and doesn't know what to do anymore than I do."

"Does Henry know about the bruises?"

"No. I mean I don't think Regina is likely to tell him and he is already concerned enough for her that I don't want to add to it," Emma said. "I just don't know why she feels she can't confide in me. I thought … I thought she and I were friends."

"Oh honey," Snow said, reaching across the table to put her hand on top of Emma's. "You two are friends. You have become really close with her."

"Apparently not close enough."

"I'll go see her tomorrow," Snow said.

"Thanks."

….

The sound of the alarm was not welcomed by Regina. Normally she woke before her alarm went off – her sleep pattern being fairly regular, but now nothing in her life seemed to be working just right.

After waiting another 45 minutes, she got up, dressed and went downstairs to get a cup of coffee. When she got down there, she saw there was no coffee to be had – the automatic timer had been reset. She must have accidentally hit it yesterday morning. Normally she checked it before she went to bed.

Sighing she wished something would go right.

"Mom."

She turned to see Henry who was ready to get to school. She looked the clock on the microwave. She could have sworn she still had 20 minutes before they had to leave.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said. "Did you have anything to eat for breakfast?"

"Cold pizza. Did you?"

"No, but I'm going to stop at the diner before heading in to work to get some coffee so I will pick up something to eat there," she said. "You ready?"

They went outside, which prompted more questions from Henry about the car. She told him that the Mercedes had some mechanical issues and was in the shop. After dropping him off at school she headed over to Granny's.

She took a seat at a booth, her back was to the door. Ruby came over and she ordered a cup of coffee and some toast. She had lost any appetite she had even though she didn't eat the night before.

She had only nibbled on the toast and sipped at the coffee when someone came up behind her.

"Regina," the voice said, and a hand was placed on her shoulder. She had been holding the coffee cup getting ready to drink but hearing her name said by Snow caused her to not only flinch but drop the coffee cup. It hit the table and broke and the coffee poured onto the table and some into her lap.

Getting up quickly, she turned to see Snow standing there.

"Are you alright?" Ruby said, coming over quickly and beginning to wipe up the mess.

Regina didn't take her eyes off Snow, who was also looking back at her.

"Regina," Snow said again. "Are you ok?"

"I'm sorry," Regina said, not to Ruby but to Snow before grabbing her purse and practically running from the diner.

…

Regina parked the car and ran to the door of her house. She struggled in getting her keys out of her purse only to drop them to the ground. Finally she got the door opened and she was inside.

Damn Emma, she thought. Clearly Snow must have heard about her speaking with Emma yesterday. She looked down where coffee had gotten on her clothes and let her purse drop where it was just inside the house as she trudged up the stairs to change. Her heart was still racing but she made herself calm down.

She was in the process of changing her clothes when the doorbell rang. She froze where she was at – the new blouse she put on unbuttoned, her dress pants on but no shoes – and prayed whoever it was would have the common sense to think she was at work and leave.

The doorbell rang again and she waited for an indication the person was leaving. Then the door was being opened – she hadn't locked it – and "Regina" was called out. It was Snow.

"Shit," she said softly. She should have stayed at the diner – at least there were other people there. Now she was alone with Snow.

She heard her name being called again, and this time Snow was definitely on the stairs.

She had used magic only once since the electrocution – it was shortly after it – and it caused her to get a migraine. Ever since then she had been wary about using it, but she knew using it now was her only chance at escape. She could hear Snow getting closer until she was right outside the door saying Regina's name. Calling up her magic she let it grab her and she teleported to the only place she thought she might be safe.

…

Emma and her father got over to the mansion quickly after Snow called – Emma insisting on use her lights as if it was an emergency. When they got there Snow told them about how she approached Regina at the diner hoping to speak to her how she reacted. It prompted her to follow Regina home to check on her but when she got there she found the door unlocked, Regina's purse just inside the door and then seeing the remnants of smoke usually associated with magical transportation.

"We have to find her," Emma said. "Whether she wants us to or not we have to locate her and make sure she is alright."

"She clearly isn't," Charming said. "So how do we find someone who can use magic at will and apparently isn't interested in seeking help?"

Emma had gotten tired of the phrase 'I don't know' when it came to Regina so she remained silent instead. She saw her mother had an odd expression on her face. "What is it?" she asked.

Snow shook her head. "It's nothing."

"You don't have the look of it's nothing," Emma responded.

"It's just that if I didn't know any better I would say that Regina ran out of the diner because she was afraid – afraid of me."

"Why would she be afraid of you?"

"That's why I hesitated to mention it," Snow said. "Despite our pasts I don't know that Regina was ever afraid of me."

"None of this makes a lick of sense," Emma said. "We need to find her and find her quick and then I don't care if I have to throw her in a jail cell I will until she tells me what the hell is going on."

…

The concrete was cool on Regina's feet. She had left the mansion without her shoes and she didn't want to return there in case someone was waiting for her to show up. She had rotated between pacing or sitting since she arrived here in her vault. She had erected a magical barrier so no one could see her even if they came here.

Her head was throbbing. When she first appeared there she had gone down to her knees as dizziness consumed her.

It forced her to wait a while before she able to put up the barrier.

All sense of time evaporated the longer she was down there.

She was sitting on the floor when she heard noise above her.

They found me, she thought.

Getting to her feet she waited.

"Regina!"

It was Emma.

A moment later the blonde savior came down to the bottom level and threw up her hands in apparent frustration.

"Damn it Regina," she said.

Regina watched Emma, secure behind the barrier, which wasn't a barrier so much as a cloaking spell. To anyone but her the room would look empty as that as that image being reflected back to them. In truth, she was standing right there. Daring to take a step, she moved closer to Emma, wondering if she should reveal herself – perhaps ask for the offered help.

But would Emma believe her when she told her what happened? That thought alone kept her in place.

When she heard another set of shoes coming down the stairs, she waited and then took a step back as she saw Charming emerge. Her foot scraped across the floor when she did so.

"No luck?" Charming said.

Emma wasn't looking at him though, she had turned in the direction of the sound. Regina held her breath as Emma took a step in her direction.

"Emma?" Charming said.

"What? Um … no," Emma said turning back toward him. "All empty down here."

"Where should we try next?

"It's time for Henry to be done with school, can you pick him up?"

"Are you sure you don't want to, maybe explain all of this?"

"No," Emma said. "I should keep looking for her. Just take him to the mansion. Mom is still there and she will watch over him. Tell him to wait there until I come."

Charming nodded and took the stairs back up. Emma waited until she was sure he was gone.

"Alright Regina, it's just you and me now, so come out from whatever magical spell you are using to make yourself invisible," Emma said. "Cool trick by the way; maybe you can teach it to me sometime."

Regina stayed where she was at trying not to make a sound.

"I know you are here," Emma said. "Whatever this is that is happening with you, you don't have to face it alone."

Emma unknowingly took a step closer to her.

"Don't do this," Emma said. "Don't shut me out. I think we're well past that. I can help you. Whatever this is, I can help. I want to help. You shouldn't feel like this is something you have to face on your own.

Another step closer.

Regina was going to have to move again if Emma got much closer or else Emma would walk right into her.

"I know about the car," Emma said. "I saw it. Someone did that to it, just like someone hurt you. I can protect you. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise, just please show yourself and let's talk about this."

Emma took two more steps and Regina had to back up. While she thought she was being completely quiet something must have tipped Emma off as she now instead of looking around the room like she had been, she focused in directly on the spot Regina stood.

"Please," Emma said. "You have to know I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

Regina bit her lip to keep from making a sound. The sincerity of that statement hit her and she wanted Emma to protect her, to keep her safe, but how could Emma do that when it was her own parents who were behind this. The idea that Snow White was still sitting in her home chilled her.

"Please," Emma said again, this time more softly. She reached out her hand in a gesture meant for Regina to take it.

Regina looked away from it, fighting her own internal battle. Maybe Emma could help. Maybe she would sit and listen to what Regina said about the attacks. Maybe she would listen and then turn around and impose justice on those who hurt her.

But Emma finally had her family – she wasn't likely to do anything that would break them up now. There was no way she should choose the Evil Queen over them. Regina let her eyes turn to Emma one more time before using her magic to transport away.

"Regina!" Emma yelled, turning all the way around. She hadn't seen anything, but somehow she knew Regina had left. She had gone away again and Emma had no idea where to look for her. Emma took a seat on one of the trunks Regina stored down there. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees and she thought about what her mother had said – that Regina seemed scared.

She stayed down there for another twenty minutes hoping maybe Regina would change her mind and come back. Standing up, she knew she had to go talk with Henry, but she would come back here later to check if Regina would return.


	3. Chapter 3

When Regina left the vault the only other place she could think to go where she might not be found was the forest. When she reappeared, she didn't just fall to her knees, she fell completely over. A bit of nausea hit her and she would have puked if there was anything in her stomach to come up.

She lay on her back looking up through the canopy of tree limbs, her head pounding.

Her magic shouldn't be making her react like this. It wasn't this bad after the first time she was electrocuted by Greg. Yes, she had felt a little out of sorts but she pushed it aside because she knew they had to find Henry.

This, this was incapacitating her.

Even if she wanted to leave the forest now she couldn't. She couldn't perform magic while feeling like this.

It was a long while before she could stand up without feeling dizzy or nauseous. By that time the sky had begun to darken.

She had no idea what direction town was in and she didn't have shoes still. Picking a direction, she began to walk, hoping that she either chose the right direction or she would feel comfortable enough to use magic again.

It was slow going, not just because of how she felt, but not having shoes was proving even more problematic.

She came through an area of thicker trees, being careful where she placed her feet to the point where she was looking down at them.

"Lose something."

She looked up to see Ruby standing there, leaning against a tree.

"Ruby, what are you doing out here? Is the town nearby?" Regina said.

"I could ask you what you are doing out here as well," Ruby said. "But I imagine the answer is anything good."

She stepped away from the tree and came a little closer to Regina. "You left in such a hurry this morning," Ruby said. "You left quite a mess for me to clean up and you didn't pay your bill. This isn't the Enchanted Forest your majesty, and you are certainly aren't a queen anymore."

"Miss Lucas, I'm sorry about the coffee. I will of course pay my bill and any damage I caused," she said, backing up a step. "If you could just point me in the direction of the town."

"You know I didn't answer your question, the one about what I was doing out here," Ruby said taking a step toward her. "I thought that would be quite obvious." Ruby pointed up to the sky and Regina followed the gesture, her eyes taking in the full moon for the first time. When she looked back to Ruby her eyes were changing as her transformation into a wolf begin.

"What say for that coffee spill, I take my payment out of your hide," Ruby said with a toothy smile.

Regina turned and ran, not waiting for Ruby to complete her transformation into a wolf. Not worrying about direction or anything else she ran as fast as she could manage to put distance between her and Ruby.

When she heard the first howl she stopped, her breaths already coming out fast. There was no way she could outrun a wolf. Calling up her magic she decided to transport back to her vault. She felt the magic wrap around her and like always she disappeared but when she reappeared she was still in the forest. She used the nearest tree to steady herself as she felt the dizziness and nausea return. Her head was also pounding, but she stood up straight and listened. She had no idea how far she may have traveled or if Ruby was nearby.

Hearing no sign of Ruby she dared to take a step and then stop and again listen. This time she heard something, but it wasn't the wolf. It was water.

If it was water she must be near the stream, she thought, and if she was near the steam she could find the bridge and the road into town. She went slowly, pausing every once in a while to listen to see if the wolf was near.

The sound of the water was getting louder and finally she began to see the trees thinning out so she knew she was near. As soon as she dared to hope the sound of a wolf's howl – a close sound – had her running once more.

She broke through the trees to the stream, stopped to look left and then right. Seeing the bridge to her right she ran in that direction. It was more than 100 yards away and she hadn't even gotten a quarter of the way there when something crashed into her from behind. Going down hard she felt the stones and gravel cut into her skin. But that was nothing compared to the pain that caused her to scream out into the night as the wolf's jaws clamped down on her lower leg.

The wolf pulled, dragging her back and there was nothing she could do. Finally it let go and Regina used what strength was left to her to turn around so she could at least face death. The wolf stood there, teeth bared, growling at her. Regina glanced down at her pant leg which was quickly being stained with blood.

The wolf didn't approach her though.

When it failed to do anything, Regina risked a slight move but as she did so the wolf growled at her.

"If you are going to kill me, just do it," she said in a final act of defiance.

"Oh, she's not the one who is going to kill you. She was just meant to slow you down," said a new voice. Coming out the trees was Snow who walked over and stood beside the wolf. She was dressed in a mix between forest bandit and Evil Queen – a pair of tight leather pants and boots along with a long sleeved button up red shirt with black vest. She had an arrow notched to a bow, which was pointed down at the ground.

"You don't get it do you?" Snow said. "You are done here in Storybrooke. You no longer get to lord over us like queen. We aren't your subjects. But I'm a generous person. I am Snow White after all, so I'm willing to give even you yet another chance even though you don't deserve it. What you deserve is for me to put this arrow through your blackened heart."

She raised the bow a bit so now the arrow was pointed at Regina.

"So let me make this clear to you," Snow continued. "What power you do have left in this town as mayor, you will cede to me. You will stay away from my daughter. And if I were you, I'd give a lot of thought about what future you have in my town. Now thank me for being so generous with you."

Regina looked up at her, but she remained silent. She was not going to thank Snow after what she had done. Ruby again growled at her, but she kept her mouth shut. Snow said nothing else before she let the arrow fly. Even though she saw it, Regina was not prepared as the arrow cut through her shoulder. Screaming again, the pain radiated throughout her body.

She started to lose consciousness and tried to move away as she saw Snow come closer. Snow leaned over her. "And you call us idiots," she said before grabbing the arrow and pulling it out with one quick motion.

Regina's eyes closed although she held onto a bit of consciousness yet. She felt Snow put her foot on and she was shoved into the cold water.

I'm going to die was the last thought she managed before the blackness took her.

….

Even before she opened her eyes, Regina could tell she was once again in the hospital. The sounds and smells of a hospital were unique and her brain made out her location before she decided it was time to open her eyes.

She was lying in a bed and it was dark – it must be night time, she thought.

Reaching for the controller for the bed she raised it up slightly so she could assess her injuries. As she did so she realized she wasn't alone. Emma was asleep in a chair over by the window.

What is she doing here, Regina wondered. She knew the answer of course, someone must have found her and brought her to the hospital so the sheriff was called. But what was she doing here at night, asleep in Regina's room?

Emma didn't look to be in a comfortable sleeping position, but she also appeared to be completely asleep. It's not the first time Regina had seen her sleeping. There was that one Sunday night several weeks ago where Emma had come over for dinner and they ended up watching a movie together – something both women had wanted to watch but Henry had no interest in. They had sat on opposite ends of the couch as they watched it but Emma had ended up falling asleep before it was over. Regina thought she looked so peaceful that she didn't want to wake her to tell her to leave so she eased her down onto the couch, got a blanket to put over her and let her sleep.

The next morning when Regina got up Emma was gone with only the folded up blanket to show that she had been there at all. At the time Regina had felt a bit of disappointment that Emma hadn't been there.

Then that day Emma surprised her by bringing her lunch at the office. She had apologized for falling asleep like that and when Regina asked her why she had left Emma said she didn't know if it would be a good idea to stay – being there for Sunday dinner was one thing but she wasn't sure if she was welcome at breakfast.

But that incident had prompted Emma to stop by for lunch at least once a week – she always brought the lunch to Regina – and solidified their budding friendship.

Now Regina wondered if that is what had prompted these attacks – was Snow that upset about her being friends with her daughter. It didn't make sense that it would be the case but she had no other explanation.

Regina used her right hand to check her left shoulder which ached and found it was tightly bandaged. She could only assume her leg was similarly bandaged up.

Not knowing how long she had been there, she had no idea if it was the same night or the next night. She was still tired regardless. As she closed her eyes she hoped when she opened them next that Emma would not be there.

Waking the next morning Regina felt an immediate sense of relief when Emma was not there. She pressed the call button for the nurse, figuring she might as well find out now what the damage was.

"Mayor Mills, awake at last," the nurse said as she entered.

"How long have I been here?"

"Three days."

"Three days!" Regina looked away from her. Surely she hadn't been here that long. She didn't think the injuries she had sustained would have caused her to be asleep that long.

After the nurse finished checking her vitals, she left to get Dr. Whale.

She was left alone with her thoughts once more. She had asked the nurse what time it was – it was just after 4 p.m. she had said.

She wondered where Henry was.

Dr. Whale came in maybe 10 minutes later and explained the extent of her injuries – no permanent damage to her shoulder as the arrow had missed any of the bones and the major muscles. She knew Snow was an expert with the bow so it meant that Snow had purposely shot so it wouldn't cause permanent damage.

The wounds on her leg from the wolf bite had been treated – although Whale had referred to them as dog bites and she didn't bother correcting him. He didn't ask her what happened and she didn't offer any explanation.

She did ask when she would be released and he told her that he wanted to keep her there over night at least.

It must have been close to 5 p.m. when the door opened and Henry came in, followed by Emma.

"How are you?" Henry asked.

"I'm ok," she said giving him a smile that she hoped conveyed that she was ok whether she felt that way or not.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," she replied. She hated that she had to lie to him but she didn't see any other course of action. "I must have blacked out or something."

"So you don't have any idea how you ended up bloodied and in the creek next to the old bridge?" Emma asked.

Keeping her eyes on Henry, Regina responded that she did not.

"And you have no idea how you got those injuries."

"As I said Miss Swan, I do not know."

Emma turned away from her, walking over to the window. "I have a guard out there on the door," she said. "For your protection until we figure out what happened to you."

"That isn't necessary."

"Oh, it's not?" Emma said facing her once more. "Well seeing as you don't recall what two attacks now or is this three or have there been even more – I think it would be in your best interest to be guarded. Unless of course you have remembered something that might help me solve this and put those responsible behind doors."

"Mom," Henry said. "I'm worried. You disappeared and then Ruby found you in the stream. You could have drowned if she hadn't gotten to you first."

"Ruby found me," Regina said, trying to keep her voice neutral. Of course she found me, she thought, Ruby knew where I was because she helped Snow put me there.

"I had her out looking for you, her and bunch of other people," Emma said. "Like the kid said, he was worried."

Regina looked to Henry. "I'm sorry honey," she said. "I don't want you to worry. I'm going to be fine. The doctor said I shouldn't have any permanent damage."

"What kind of wound was that to your shoulder anyway?" Emma asked.

Regina opened her mouth and almost told the truth but she wasn't supposed to know that so instead she gave her now standard "I don't know."

"Are you really going to sit there and lie to me, lie to our son? Did you hear what he said, you could have died." Emma said. "I'm gonna ask one more time, what the hell is going on here?"

Regina kept her mouth shut this time and stared down Emma.

Before either could break the dare down there was a knock on the door.

"Hi," Snow said in that irritatingly cheerful voice of hers as she and Charming entered. "We thought we would visit and see how you are doing now that you are awake."

"That is kind of you," Regina forced out after it was apparent they were expecting her to speak.

"I was worried about you when you ran out of the diner. I came to your house," Snow said.

"Why did you leave the diner like that?" Emma asked.

"The last thing I remember is dropping Henry off at school."

"So you think you blacked out right after that?" Emma offered.

"I must have."

"Black outs?" Snow said. "You've been having black outs."

"It would appear so," Regina said. "Speaking of, I think it would be best for the town given my present situation that I step down from being mayor."

There were four whats expressed by those present.

"If these black outs continue, it's clear I can't do my job," Regina said. "We have to put the town first. I would ask that Snow takes over as mayor."

"Me? What do I know about being mayor?"

"You are a queen, I'm sure you can handle being mayor."

There was silence as everyone was trying to absorb what just happened.

"Regina, I don't think that this is a step we need to do right now," Snow said. "You just woke up after days of being asleep. We can talk about what is best for the town after you recover. For all we know the blackouts could be over with."

"While I hope that they are," Regina said. "I don't think we can take a risk like that. No, I'm stepping down. If you don't want to take the position I understand, but I think you should at least until the town decides what is best."

"You are talking like you are stepping down permanently," Charming said.

"I have to do what is best for the town. Now, if you could all excuse me, I'm starting to get tired again and would like to take a nap."

She settled back down into the bed, hoping they would take the hint. Henry came over and said goodbye, giving her a kiss on the cheek and the others also bid her farewell. They all left, but less than a minute later Emma was slipping back into the room.

"Miss Swan what are you doing here? You should be getting Henry home," she said sitting up.

"My parents are taking him. You and I are going to talk." She took the chair and pulled it up closer to the bed and took a seat. "No more of this bullshit about black outs and not remembering. You know what happened and you are going to tell me. First off, you were in the vault there with me, weren't you?"

Regina remained silent.

"I will take that as a yes," Emma said. "Then why wouldn't you trust me to help you?"

Regina again said nothing.

"Come on Regina," Emma said, softening her tone a bit. "I'm worried about you. You can't expect me to sit back when I know something is wrong. We're friends and friends don't let their friends get hurt without trying to help. Please let me help you."

"I am going to make this as plain as I possibly can Miss Swan. Leave me alone," Regina said. "I don't need nor do I want your assistance. We're not even friends. We never were. The only reason you and I even have reasons to speak to each other is because of city business, which I'm no longer a part of, and Henry. That's it. I've put up with you because of our … because of my son but I don't feel the need to continue to pretend I can stand your presence. Whatever delusions you have of us being anything more, I suggest you put them aside. Now get out of here or I will call the nurse and ask for security to escort you out."

Emma stood up, but she didn't make any move to leave. Instead she looked down at Regina. "Whatever this is, I'm going to find out, I promise you that," she said. "Keep pushing me away, that's fine. But don't think it means I'm not going to figure out who is doing this to you."

"Get out," Regina said through clenched teeth.

Emma left and as soon as Regina was sure she was gone, she got out of bed. Her leg hurt from the bites, but she forced herself to keep weight on it anyway. She went over to the closet, hoping someone had the sense to bring some clothes while she was asleep. When she saw the bag of clothes, she knew that person was Emma based on how the clothes were folded. Emma had to do laundry one day and her washing machine was broken so Regina had let her use hers. She had laughed at how Emma folded her shirts. Now as she held her own shirt in her hands – folded the Emma way – she felt a pang of hurt and guilt over the words she had just said to the other woman.

Stifling the emotions she proceeded to get dressed with some difficulty. Once she was fully dressed she walked out of the room.

"Regina, what are you doing up?" Mulan said as she stood up from the chair she was sitting in beside the door.

Regina realized that Mulan must be the aforementioned guard that Emma had posted there. She ignored her as she limped to the nurses' desk.

"Contact Dr. Whale if you must, or just hand over whatever forms you need me to sign," Regina said. "I'm leaving."


	4. Chapter 4

Emma sat at her desk, going over every piece of information she had about the assaults on Regina, to no avail. Without Regina's cooperation Emma didn't know how she was going to figure out what was going on.

She had been angry at Regina for what she had said in the hospital about them not being friends. Despite what she had said when leaving that she wasn't going to stop trying to figure this out, she had indeed considered dropping the matter as Regina wished. In her hurt over Regina's words, her rejection, Emma thought maybe walking away would be for the best.

She couldn't though. At first she told herself she wouldn't because of Henry. He was legitimately concerned about Regina and was to the point where he didn't think it was a good idea for his mother to be left alone. It hadn't escaped his notice that these incidents had occurred when he wasn't around.

Even if Henry wasn't concerned, Emma knew she wouldn't be able to leave it alone. She too was worried about Regina and knew there was something going on that for some reason the brunette didn't want known.

When Mulan had called her to tell her Regina was leaving the hospital AMA - Against Medical Advice – she wondered if the assailant was connected to the hospital and that was why Regina wanted to not be there. Dr. Whale had reason to hate Regina and had once led a mob against her. That was in the past and there was nothing about him now that gave Emma a feeling he was behind this. It didn't mean that someone else at the hospital might not be a part of it.

It had only been a few days since Regina left the hospital and all Emma knew about how she was doing was from Henry who reported that Regina was still sore, was being very quiet and spent her time either in her room or in her home office. She hadn't cooked a meal or done anything that she normally would have done such as making sure Henry had lunch money or had done his homework. She also wasn't sleeping much, according to Henry.

She hadn't been back to the mayor's office, having sent an email to her secretary and copying Snow with what needed to get done.

Snow had been reluctant to take on the mayor's position even as an interim measure and after a couple of days of it, she was ready for Regina to come back to work.

Tonight was supposed to a night that Henry stayed with Emma. He had already asked her if it was ok for him to stay with Regina as he didn't want her being alone. That gave Emma an idea – one that Henry didn't want to agree to but had finally relented. She was going to take Henry for the night as usual, but then she planned on staking out Regina's home. Since all the incidents happened without Henry being there Emma figured she could keep watch and make sure nothing did. And if someone did try something, she was going to be there to stop it before any harm came to Regina.

Henry had wanted to go on the stakeout with her, but Emma wouldn't allow it. She told him she had to have her complete focus on Regina which meant she couldn't be worried about Henry if something were to happen. She was also going to borrow her dad's truck to take on the stakeout since it was less conspicuous than her cruiser or the bug.

She left work early and went home to take a nap so she could be awake as long as she needed to tonight. She picked Henry up at 5 and went to her parents' place where she dropped off Henry, swapped vehicles and picked up a thermos of coffee courtesy of her mother.

"If anything happens you call me," her father said.

"Is it bad that part of me hopes something does happen so I can finally figure out what is going on and who is doing this to her?" Emma asked.

Charming smiled at her. "It doesn't make you bad, it means that you are concerned for her," he said. "I mean it though, the first sign of something, call me."

"I will."

She drove back to Regina's, parking just down the street so she could see if anyone approached the house and settled in for a long night. The first several hours were boring, but at least she could text non eventful updates to Henry or her father. When they went to bed though she was all alone staring at the mansion and wondering what Regina was doing inside.

Most of the lights had been off all night. She could see one of the windows at the side of the house that she knew was a window to Regina's room. The light in it flicked on close to midnight and Emma supposed Regina was getting ready for bed. But the light didn't go off even as a couple of hours passed by.

"What could she be doing up there?" Emma wondered aloud.

It was 3 a.m. when Emma had enough. The light was still on which meant either Regina had fallen asleep with it on or she was up there reading or something and not sleeping. The way Henry had described her sleeping pattern lately Regina could use all the sleep she could get.

Getting out of the truck, she didn't give much thought to her next moves. She had gotten Henry's key from him just in case and she went around back and used it to enter the door into the kitchen. Quietly shutting the door behind her, she made her way out to the stairs leading up. Having been over to the mansion many times she was familiar with the layout.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs she only then began to question what she was doing. She began to think it through – she couldn't just go upstairs and knock on Regina's door to find out what she was doing. Sighing, she turned around to go back out the way she came. She hadn't taken more than two steps before.

"And what lesson are you here to teach me tonight?" came Regina's voice as the lights in that area came on.

Emma turned back around.

"Emma?" Regina asked in confusion. She was about halfway down the stairs. "What are you doing here?"

"Who were you expecting?" Emma asked in response. She walked back to the stairs, getting up on the first one. She noticed Regina wasn't dressed for bed, instead dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a short sleeved shirt. She could see where her shoulder was still bandaged up and she was favoring her uninjured leg. "You were waiting, waiting for someone to show up here, weren't you? You knew someone would be here because Henry isn't here. That's why you've been awake all this time."

Regina didn't answer but took a step backward. "What are you doing here?"

Emma came closer, only for Regina to back up again. She stopped, considering it, and took a step back. Regina's guard was definitely up.

"I'm not here to hurt you," Emma said. "Did you think that I was here to hurt you?"

"You still haven't said why you are here?"

"I'm here because I'm worried about you," Emma said. "I've been sitting outside for hours to keep watch over the house and make sure you were ok. It didn't escape my notice that these attacks have happened when Henry wasn't around. I wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Why are you in the house?"

"I saw your light on and Henry said you haven't been sleeping and I don't know why I came inside … I needed to you were ok though."

"You need to leave."

"Fine." Emma said putting her hands up as if surrendering. "But I'll be outside for the rest of the night."

"That isn't necessary."

"Yeah well you aren't mayor anymore so you aren't my boss and I'll stay off of your property unless I'm needed in my capacity as sheriff if that is the way you want to play this," she said. "But get this through your head, I'm not leaving you unprotected."

"I've told you repeatedly that you need to leave me alone, why can't you respect my wishes?"

"Because I can't," Emma said. "Ok. I care about you too much to just walk away." Regina averted her eyes a moment before turning her eyes back to Emma. "Listen to me," Regina said. "Listen to the words I'm saying. You need to stay away from me. You want to help me, then you Emma, you need to stay away."

Emma was about to argue that she was tired of this but she paused considering what Regina had said and how she said. She had said is slowly, paced it and put emphasis on her name.

"Wait," Emma said. "I need to stay away from you – just me, no one else - that is how I can help?"

Regina nodded.

Emma bounded up the stairs, and grabbed Regina's arm even as Regina tried to pull away. "Did someone hurt you because of me?"

"No, it's not that," Regina said. "This is about me."

"Then why do I need to stay away from you?"

"You just do. You asked me trust you when we down in the vault. Now I'm asking you to trust me," Regina said. "I need you to stop this. Stop calling, stop texting, stop coming over here."

Emma let go of her and stepped down a step.

"Ok," Emma said backing off again. "I'll trust you for now, but if something else happens to you …"

"It won't," Regina said. "Just stay away."

This time Emma nodded and walked away. She was at the bottom of the steps when Regina called out her name once more.

"Please don't tell anyone, and I mean anyone that you were here tonight and that we spoke."

"My parents and Henry knew I was coming here."

Regina looked away for a moment and Emma tried to interpret the expression she saw for a briefly before the composed Regina façade was put back into place.

"Good bye."

Regina turned and walked back up the stairs turning off the light on her way. Emma was again cascaded in darkness and she stood there for another couple of breaths before making her way back to the truck. When she got back in it, she didn't start it back up, instead she sat there. Eventually the light to Regina's bedroom went out and while Emma could have left she continued to sit there.

Despite what Regina said about this not being about her, Emma knew it had to have something to do with her or else Regina wouldn't be so adamant about her staying away. And then there was the way Regina had said goodbye, almost like she was saying it for the last time.

In the end she stayed there all night, unwilling to leave Regina unprotected. When she returned to her parent's place the next morning Henry and them were eating breakfast.

"I take it nothing happened," Charming asked.

"All quiet all night," Emma said.

"Well that is a relief," Snow said.

"Did you see mom at all?" Henry asked.

"Nope," Emma said, shaking her head as she kept her eyes on the plate of food Snow placed in front of her. "Maybe saw her shadow in the window, but that was the extent of it."

She had thought more about what Regina had said, including the part about not telling anyone they had spoken. Regina must be worried about someone finding out they had spoken, but who that person was, Emma had nothing but guesses.

"But you are sure she is alright?" he pressed.

"Yeah, nothing happened."

She was stuck now thinking of who would want to hurt Regina because of her and why. The first person came to mind was Hook. They had broken things off nearly six months ago and she hadn't seen much of him since. Still one of the points of contention between the two of them had been Regina or rather the amount of time she had been spending at Regina's.

It started out as just a way to spend more time with Henry, and then it was showing Henry that his mothers could get along and then she started to hang out when Henry wasn't around and that bothered Hook for whatever reason. It had exploded into a fight and Emma had suggested that maybe they should take a break and that break had become permanent. The weird thing was Emma didn't really feel bad about it. She thought she should miss him more but she simply didn't.

"Emma?"

"Huh?" she said realizing someone had been speaking to her.

"Are you alright?" Snow asked.

"Yes, I'm just tired."


	5. Chapter 5

Regina looked at down at her phone as it rang for the fifth time – not five rings, but five times in a row this number had called her but she hadn't answered. She knew she should just answer it as this point she was delaying the inevitable but she didn't answer it until the sixth call.

"Hello."

"Hi, Regina," came Snow's voice. "I've been calling you."

"Sorry, my phone was on silent and I just noticed it," Regina replied.

"Well I don't suppose you get many callers now do you?"

"No," Regina said. "So why don't you get to the reason for your call."

"Straight to the point, I like that," Snow responded. "You see I'm concerned about Emma having been at your place the other night."

This is why Regina had been avoiding answered. When Emma had told her that her parents knew she was at her house, she knew that there would be repercussions.

"I told her to leave," Regina said. "She came into my house without permission. I didn't ask her to come in. I didn't want her there. Perhaps instead of bothering me, you should teach your daughter to stay away from places she's not wanted."

Snow laughed and it made Regina cringe because it was a cruel laugh – something that didn't seem right coming from Snow.

"You know there is a lot I would have liked to have taught my daughter but I didn't get the chance to because of you," Snow said. "And let's not pretend that you don't enjoy my daughter's company. That is after all what this is all about. Well that and finally putting you in your place. As I said before, I'm not an unkind person so I'm going to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?"

"It's simple. Emma is supposed to have Henry not this weekend but I believe the next, correct?"

Regina hesitated before confirming this.

"You have until the Saturday night of that weekend to leave Storybrooke for good. Make an excuse, disappear in the middle of the night, I don't really care, but once you pass the town line you will never step foot in here again," Snow said. "The residents of Storybrooke shouldn't have to live here with the woman who has taken so much from us. You think you've changed but you haven't. You are still the Evil Queen from that book."

"And if I don't?"

"Oh, I think you will," Snow said. "You really don't have anything here any longer."

"I have my son and I'm not leaving him."

"Henry is more our family than he ever was of yours," Snow said. "If you really cared about him you would leave him to his real family. The fact you won't shows that it's all about you as always. But not this time. You will leave Storybrooke in the allotted time or if you don't I promise you, you've lived way past your time and I will put you in the ground myself. It's your choice."

Snow hung up the phone before Regina could say anything else.

Regina knew something would happen after Emma had showed up at her house but she figured it would be another attack – one which she wasn't sure she could fight off. So far she hadn't been able to so and her magic was still not back in full force.

Despite what had happened thus far she wasn't about to leave her son and leave Storybrooke.

If she was going to get through this she would need help.

….

Emma came into work Friday morning, unlocked her office and pulled her chair out to sit down when she saw the small envelope sitting on it. There was no name on it, but it was sealed so she opened it.

There was a slip of paper in that read, "Noon. Vault. Tell no one."

Regina, she thought. It had to be her. She had not seen the other woman since that night she stayed camped outside the house. That was more than a week ago and she had gotten no where close to figuring any of this out. She had gone to speak to Hook, thinking that perhaps he was behind this, but he had been out at sea when one of the attacks happened.

When she first approached him he seemed happy to see her until he realized she was there only because she was investigating the attack on Regina.

"It's always the queen with you, ain't it Swan?"

"She's the mother of my child and my best friend," Emma said. "She had nothing to do with us breaking up. You and I just weren't working."

"Oh no, I agree that it wasn't working. It wasn't working because you only had eyes for the queen," he said. "You could have at least invited me into some of the fun. I wouldn't have minded a royal sandwich with the two of you."

"You're disgusting."

"I'm a pirate," he said shrugging.

While she had considered him a suspect it also didn't seem right to her. Regina was scared or under some sort of coercion to not tell what happened to her – of that Emma was now sure. And Regina was certainly not afraid of Hook. When she had broken things off with him Regina had told her that she thought it was a good thing because Hook would never appreciate her for the uniquely special person she was and despite what Hook may think she was no prize to be won because she wasn't an object and to treat her that way was demeaning. Emma had been touched by what Regina had said and Regina almost seemed embarrassed that she said it, but Emma had thanked her and then they quickly changed topics.

Emma had begun to think of people in town who might be able to coerce Regina or scare her and she couldn't really come up with anyone outside of Gold. Again, it just didn't seem right to Emma that he was it. The way the attacks were, Gold wouldn't have done electrocution to hold Regina at bay. He would have taken her head on if he really wanted to have that battle.

The only saving grace Emma saw in this was that nothing else had happened to Regina as far as she knew since she was found wounded by the creek. Henry said she still wasn't sleeping well and there was a paleness to her skin tone and she seemed worn out. Emma wished she could at least see Regina with her own eyes to judge how she was doing but she was doing as Regina asked and staying away. The fact she had stayed away and nothing had happened to her since filled Emma with an indefinable dread.

Now though it seemed Regina was willing to see her and maybe even explain what was going on – yet the message was clear that in order to do this they would have to be secretive about it. Emma figured Regina must have poofed into her office to leave this note. She stuck it in her back pocket so she could ensure no one else would see it and then she waited for the time to meet.

The morning dragged on and when it was time, Emma told her father she was going on her lunch break and would be back. Emma drove out to the cemetery, keeping an eye out to make sure she wasn't being followed. She felt kind of stupid doing it, but her concern over Regina won out over any embarrassment she felt.

When she arrived she immediately noticed Regina's car was no where to be seen. Emma entered the vault and called out Regina's name as she came down the stairs.

"Did you come alone?" she heard Regina say before she reached the bottom.

"Of course," Emma said as she reached the bottom, but she didn't see Regina anywhere. She entered it more fully and looked around. "Come on, no more hide and seek."

She saw what looked like the area to her left blurring and then Regina appeared.

"You really need to teach me that," Emma said.

Regina was looking past her toward the stairs.

"I'm alone. I haven't told anyone I was coming here," Emma reassured her. She could see the worry in Regina's eyes that perhaps that wasn't the truth. Already the other woman was making slight movements like she couldn't stand still. She was dressed casually, in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and even though they were several feet apart Emma could see the darkening under her eyes. "When is the last time you slept through the night?"

It wasn't what she had really meant to ask but it came out anyway.

"Sleep is a luxury that isn't in the cards for me right now."

"Has anything else happened since…"

"No."

"Good," Emma said approaching her. "Are you ready to tell me what is going on?"

"I wish it were that simple."

Emma saw a sadness in Regina in that moment, and almost resignation to the events that had happened. If she knew one thing about the former queen it was that she didn't back down from a fight, yet here she was acting as if she had been defeated already.

"It can be that simple. I told you, I will help. I'll do whatever it takes," she said. This time she got close enough to reach out and touch Regina's hand albeit briefly. "I will keep you safe."

Their eyes met and neither woman said a word for what felt like an eternity until Regina pulled away, backing up a step and looking away.

"Um, I can't tell you," Regina said, holding up her hand to stop Emma from speaking. "I can't tell you all of it. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I think it would be better if you saw it for yourself."

"See what?"

"An attack," Regina said. "I have a good idea of when the next one will occur."

"When?"

"Tomorrow night," she replied. "I've been given an ultimatum – to leave town forever by midnight tomorrow. I have no intention of leaving so I imagine the next attack will come shortly after that deadline."

"Who gave you this ultimatum?"

"That is the part I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because … because I don't think you will believe me."

Emma could barely believe that Regina would say that. "I will believe you," Emma said. "Regina, you and I, we've come so far from those two women who were hell bent on destroying each other. We're …"

Emma wasn't sure what to say they were – co-parents, best friends or maybe something more. There had been something there on the edges of their friendship, something that pushed at the boundaries of innocence.

"Tell me," Emma said. "Tell me who is behind this and I swear I will believe you. I will believe whatever you tell me."

"I think it would be best if you saw it for yourself."

"Fine, if that is how you want to handle it then we'll do it your way."

"Thank you."

"So what's the plan?"

"You will pick Henry up from school today like scheduled and we won't see or talk to each other again until tomorrow night. Leave Henry at your place and don't tell anyone about any of this. Come to the house at 11:30 p.m. and then I will use the same cloaking spell I used here on you and you wait and when the perpetrators come you can see it all for yourself."

The way Regina said was almost as if she had rehearsed her speech ahead of time and Emma began to wonder why Regina waited so long to tell her.

"How many people should I expect, you said perpetrators?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"It could be one, two, three, maybe more."

"You don't even know who is behind this?"

"I know the ringleader," Regina said. "And some of the others, but I've been warned that others are involved."

"And what happens if 20 people show up, what then? Are you going to use your magic to get us out of there because I'm not willing to risk you getting hurt again."

Regina sighed, "I can't … my magic hasn't been working right. When I was in the woods I tried to teleport out to escape but instead of taking me back here like I willed it to do, it only took me a short distance away."

"Something is wrong with your magic? That is why they've been able to get to you, you can't defend yourself."

"I can defend myself."

"Whoa, I wasn't trying to say you are helpless," Emma said putting her hands up for a moment. "But don't you think it's odd that your magic isn't working when all of this is happening?"

"I'm sure it's a result of the electrocution."

"Yeah, but it wasn't like that before when it happened, was it?"

"Not to this extent, but yes when we went to Neverland directly afterward to find Henry, I admit I wasn't feeling 100 percent."

"Why didn't say something then?"

Regina gave a half-smile, "Tell who? You? If you remember correctly, you and I were not … we didn't get along well at that time."

"No we didn't," Emma said smiling back at her. "I think that was the beginning though of us turning things around. We worked together to get Henry back. I think we both began to recognize that as strange as it is, we're family."

"Things have certainly changed," Regina said. "That's why this happening now is disturbing."

"You said before that I needed to stay away from you. What does that have to do with any of this?"

"I think once you see who is behind this, you can ask them yourself. I honestly don't know what this is all about."

"Alright, but maybe I should get there before 11:30 to make sure you are safe."

"No. I appreciate your concern but I don't want to tip anyone off by you disappearing from your place too soon. Speaking of, you better get back to the office."

"Ok," Emma said. "You call me if anything happens though. I mean it, anything."

…

Emma hadn't relaxed since Regina told her about this impending attack on her. Every hour seemed to last two hours as she waited for the appointed time to head over to Regina's. Finally, she couldn't take it any longer – telling Henry he needed to stay there and she was going out for a little while. He questioned her of course and she told him the truth – she was going to check on his other mother since she was alone. He wanted to go with her but she told him he had to stay there and if anyone should show up or call he should tell them she had run out real quick and would be back soon. Then he was to text her to let her know.

She wasn't willing to take any chances by even telling her parents even though she would feel better if she had at least one of them with her as a back up. Not knowing how many people could potentially show up worried her.

She arrived at Regina's shortly before 11 a.m., parking the car down the street and be watchful of everything around her as she made her way to the back door again. She had to knock a couple of times, but there was no response from Regina. She knew there was a chance that Regina just hadn't heard it if she was farther into the house, but it was enough for Emma to get the key out and let herself in.

"Regina," she called out.

As soon as she got no answer, she pulled out her gun and began going through the house. She yelled for Regina several times as she hurried through all the downstairs rooms seeing nothing out of place. She sprinted up the stairs, seeing Regina's bedroom door open and the light on she again said her name but as soon as she got close to the threshold she saw her – Regina was hanging from the curtain rod, the curtain itself wrapped around her neck tightly.

"No, no, no," Emma said rushing forward. She threw her gun on the bed as she jumped on top of it. The window was right next to the bed and the rod was a top of the line piece of metal that laid in the brackets. Instead of messing with trying to get the cloth away from Regina's neck, Emma pulled on the rod to dislodge it. It worked and Regina fell to the floor and Emma scrambled down and began to free the curtain from Regina's neck. She had to struggle with it but managed to unwrap it enough that it was no longer choking her.

Emma checked for a pulse even as she leaned over Regina to see if she was breathing. There it was a –barely a beat, but it was there. Pulling out her phone she called 911.

…

This time when Regina woke in the hospital, Emma was there in the chair beside the bed awake and Regina sat up immediately in the bed.

"Whoa, it's just me," Emma putting what she hoped was a comforting hand on Regina's but Regina pulled away.

"What …" Regina started to cough before she could get the sentence out and Emma poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, but Regina wouldn't take it.

"Dr. Whale said you should keep the talking to a minimum. Your throat was practically crushed. If I hadn't have come over early … Regina you could have died," Emma said. "Now I knot that wasn't a suicide attempt, which means someone tried to kill you this time. No more of this you can't tell me. I need to know who did this to you so I can go arrest them."

Regina had a confused look on her face and remained silent.

"If you aren't feeling up to speaking then I will get a piece of paper and a pen and you can write it down, but you have to tell me this time."

"You," Regina rasped out. "You did this."

"What?" Emma asked. "Why would you say that? I didn't do this. I'm the one that found you. I would never." She tried to reach out to touch her again but again Regina pulled back and Emma saw there was genuine fear in her eyes. She eased back a little.

"Regina, I didn't do this," Emma said. "You know me. I don't know what you think happened but I would never hurt you."

"Please," Regina said, her voice barely audible. "Go."

Emma stood up and backed away, not taking her eyes off of Regina who turned her head away so she wouldn't have to look at Emma. Even as she did so, Emma saw the tear run down Regina's face. Emma felt like someone had hit her. She turned and walked out of the room and down to the waiting area where she had left her parents and Henry. While she had let Henry in to see his mother, she hadn't wanted him sitting in there seeing her like that. Plus she thought if she was alone with Regina that Regina would tell her the truth finally.

"Did she wake up?" Charming asked.

Emma nodded.

"Did she say anything? Did she tell you who did this?"

"Yes, but …"

"But what?" Snow asked.

"She thinks I did it."

…

Once Emma left Regina started to full on cry. How could she so stupid, she thought. Then again wasn't that the question Emma had posed to her before she tried to kill her. When she woke up and found Emma there not only was she scared but she wondered if Emma had changed her mind about killing her. But why play this game with her now that, pretending that she had nothing to do with it?

Regina had been pacing in her bedroom waiting for 11:30 p.m. and for Emma to get there. She figured they could discuss where would be the best place to cloak Emma when inevitably someone came to enforce the midnight mandate. She felt bad for not preparing Emma better for the fact her parents were behind this but she still didn't believe that Emma would take her word for it. No, Emma needed to see it with her own eyes.

"You seem nervous."

Regina whirled around to see Emma in her bedroom doorway.

"It's not 11:30 yet," Regina said coming toward her. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Emma said, casually, almost too casually. "Except you haven't even packed anything."

Regina took a step back at not just the words but the smile on Emma's face.

"What?" Emma said. "Did you really think that my parents were the ones behind this? Well, I should clarify, it was actually a group effort – a rather large group as a matter of fact. And we did try to get you to just leave quietly so that none of us would ever have to deal with you ever again, but you wouldn't listen. I mean how stupid could you be?"

"Emma, what's going on?" Regina asked, even as she backed up.

"We really did just want you to leave town," Emma said. "Don't you see that every one here they want to live in peace, but that isn't possible as long as you are here. They are always going to wonder when you are going to turn back into the Evil Queen and let's face it, at some point you will. At some point someone will cross you and that air of superiority that you have will kick in and you will again act like you are the ruler of all these people. Since you wouldn't just leave town though we have a little problem."

"I wouldn't become the Evil Queen again, you know this," Regina said, still backing up as Emma came closer to her. "You know me Emma. You know I've come too far to ever revert back to being her."

"I don't know that," she said. "You see, while you thought we were hanging out and becoming friends, I've really just been watching you, observing, waiting for the inevitable. What I have seen is someone who puts on a façade to the world around her. The real you though, the real you is a dangerous person and I can't have you around my son. You wouldn't leave so you have left me with no choice but to put a permanent end to you."

Before Regina could say anything she saw Emma flick her hand up and Regina could feel her magic. Something grabbed her from behind and she was pulled toward the window where the curtain was wrapping itself around her neck, pulling her upward until her toes were barely scratching the surface of the carpet. Her hands clawed at the curtain, trying to free it from her neck. She struggled as it tightened more and she went a little higher. It was squeezing her neck and any breath she had in her she lost.

Even as the blackness began to gather in her eyes she saw Emma standing there, showing no emotion. That stoic expression was the last thing she saw before she fell unconscious.

Now here in the hospital, Regina had to wonder why she was still alive.


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you mean she thinks you did this?" Charming asked.

"She believes I am the one who tried to kill her," Emma said. "In there, she was afraid of me. I could see it in her eyes. When I moved toward her, she flinched. She really thinks I did this."

"But how?' Snow asked. "Someone obviously did this to her, so she must have seen something that made her think it was you."

Emma shrugged and shook her head at the same time. "I didn't get much else from her. She just, she asked me to leave."

"Can I go see her?" Henry asked.

Emma looked at her son. He had been worried about his other mother since all of this had started and she had nothing she could tell him that would make any of it better. It had been her job to keep Regina safe and she had failed.

"Yeah, go ahead kid," she said to him.

"Ok," he said leaving them.

"If Regina thinks you did this, then maybe the other attacks, maybe she thinks those were done by other people as well," Snow said, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What is it?" Emma asked, noticing the look.

"You said that Regina was afraid of you, that you saw it in her eyes," Snow said. "That is what I saw when she looked at me that day before she ran out of the diner – fear."

Emma remembered her mother saying that before that Regina had looked like she was afraid of her, but she hadn't really thought anymore about it until now.

"You don't think she thought you were one of the previous attackers do you?" Emma asked. Even as she said it she thought about Regina's previous insistence that Emma tell no one about them meeting up. Then there was turning over the mayor's job to Snow and her reluctance to tell Emma who was behind the attacks because she didn't think Emma would believe her.

"I don't know," Snow responded. "But like I said, she was afraid."

She glanced back toward Regina's room and then to her parents. "If Regina believes me or you were involved, she has to have good reason for it," Emma said. "She wouldn't make something like that up, which means, well I don't know what it means, but I have to show her that I'm not involved."

Henry saw his mother wipe away tears as he entered the room.

"Are you ok?" he asked, even as he didn't expect her to tell him anything other than she was fine.

When she said, "no," he was taken aback. He didn't say anything, just moved over to the side of the bed to sit down. He reached out and put his hand on top of hers.

"I want to help," he said.

She gave him a small smile in return. "I know you do, but there isn't anything you can do."

There was a pause before Henry spoke again. "Ma said that you think she did this."

He didn't say it directly, but Regina could tell there was an unspoken question there. And she could also tell that he doubted that his mother would be involved.

"Emma was the one who attacked me last night," she said. "I don't really know why but it was her. She used her magic against me."

"She wouldn't do that," Henry responded quickly. "She wouldn't hurt you."

Regina looked away from him. Of course, she thought, of course her own son wouldn't believe her. He would always believe the Savior over the Evil Queen.  
She was foolish to even think it could be any other way. Just like when Snow and Charming had attacked her and pointed out that even if she told, no one would believe her.

"Mom?' Henry said, as he saw her space out. "I just want you to be ok, to be safe."

"Would you um tell, I mean ask Emma to come in here, I'd like to speak to her in private."

He got up and left the room and Regina took two deep breaths before Emma entered.

"You win," Regina said.

"What?"

"I said you win," Regina said. "You told me I had to leave Storybrooke. I'll do it."

"What? Are you insane?"

"No, I'm simply done fighting."

"Regina, I do not want you to leave Storybrooke," Emma said. "Why would you … look you are still recovering from this latest attack so there is no reason to make any rash decisions. We're going to figure this out. Believe me the last thing I want is for you to leave."

She moved closer and again Regina moved back in the bed, causing Emma to stop.

"You got to help me here," Emma said. "This, none of this is adding up. I did not attack you."

"It would appear my son also believes that. The one person I would stay in Storybrooke for doesn't believe that I'm telling the truth. Perhaps your mother was right and he is more your family then mine."

"No," Emma said. "We've moved beyond those times where we were competing for Henry's love. He loves us both. You know this. Just like I know that a part of you has to believe I'm not capable of hurting you."

"You've taken everything from me," Regina said.

Emma wanted to shake the other woman until she would listen to reason and another part of her wanted to give Regina a hug because she could see that she was hurting.

"I'm going to leave you alone," Emma said. "I'll come back tomorrow and hopefully you and I can talk – really talk because I don't want you to leave and I don't want you believing that I could do this. I will prove to you that I didn't do this. I will find who is responsible, I promise."

Regina couldn't get comfortable in the hospital bed no matter how hard she tried. Every time she closed her eyes she felt that curtain wrapping around her neck.

Finally she couldn't take it any longer so she got up and went to see if there were some clothes there so she could change and go home. Finding none, she still exited the room to start the process of leaving. She could transport home if she had to.

As soon as she opened the door a nurse almost immediately came out from behind the desk and approached her.

"Mayor Mills," the nurse said. "If you need something the call button is right next to your bed, there is no reason for you to get up."

"I'm leaving so just get me whatever forms you need me to sign."

"Let me get the doctor," the nurse said, hurrying back around the desk and picking up the phone.

"Why do you need to get the doctor? I'm leaving AMA so I don't need a lecture from him."

"Um …" she said. "Let me get the doctor."

Regina was sure something was wrong, especially when the nurse turned her back to her and she heard her talking softly saying "she wants to leave."

There was a little more conversation and then the nurse faced her again. "Why don't you wait in your room, the doctor will be here soon.'

"And what if I want to leave before the doctor gets here?" Regina said, crossing her arms which she realized lost some affect seeing as she was wearing a hospital gown and robe.

"Please return to your room Mayor Mills,"

"I'm no longer mayor, and I will go back in there when you get me the forms to fill out so I can leave."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Why not?"

"Please, the doctor will be here soon."

"Fine," Regina said. "But I won't wait long."

She was pacing in her room when Dr. Whale finally got there and he was joined by two orderlies and the nurse.

"What is going on here?" she asked.

"Regina, please, just return to your bed," Whale said.

"No, I will not. I want to leave."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that.'

"Can't allow that?"

"We've placed you on a 72-hour hold order."

"What does that mean?"

"It means for your own safety, you have to stay here," Whale said. Then he paused. "It's hospital policy for suicide attempts."

"Suicide. I didn't try to commit suicide. I was attacked. Where would you get the idea that I tried to commit suicide?"

"The sheriff says she was still investigating but she was concerned that you might have tried to harm yourself and requested we place the hold on you."

Regina turned away from them, a part of her not believing that Emma would do this to her. Even if Emma had attacked her, somehow she was in disbelief over this.

"Come on Regina, return to the bed," Whale said.

"No," she said looking at him once more. "I will not. I'm leaving now."

"Don't make me order these guys to physically restrain you."

She laughed. "I can be gone before they even got close."

She waved her hand to transport herself away and for a moment the magic enveloped her and she felt herself in the middle of a transport but then she was on the floor of the hospital room, her head pounding and she felt dizzy. She felt hands on her and someone was speaking to her but she couldn't make it out. She tried to fight back but couldn't so she again tried to transport but nothing happened this time except causing her head to want to explode from the pressure.

She felt something jab her arm and then she started to get sleepy while she felt someone lift her up. By the time she was placed on the bed she was asleep.

Emma was sure Regina was going to try to kill her. Whale had called her last night to let her know about Regina's escape attempt. While she knew there was no way that Regina would commit suicide she needed to keep the investigation open to that possibility in order to get the hold order placed on her. She knew Regina would try and leave and she couldn't afford to let her disappear or try and leave town.

She didn't think the hold order would result in her being forcibly restrained however.

Knocking on the door before she entered the hospital room she expected an immediate tirade from Regina, but the reaction was completely the opposite.  
Regina was lying on the bed looking off to the side and she didn't acknowledge Emma in any way.

"If it helps at all, I'm sorry," Emma said.

Still no reaction.

"Ok, I get it," Emma said. "You're pissed. You have every right to be. But try and look at it from my point of view. I'm worried about you. Your son is worried about you. And we just want you to be safe so I didn't want you leaving because I was afraid if you did that you might get attacked again or leave town."

Still nothing.

"I'll tell Dr. Whale to release you from the hold order," she said. "Then maybe I could take you home and we could talk about this, talk about what's been happening to you. I want to help."

"Leave," Regina said, barely above a whisper. "If you want to help, then just leave me alone."

Emma stood there a moment. "Ok. I'll go, but I'm coming back later. Henry wants to see you and I'll be back."

She walked out, closing the door behind her and wishing that she knew where exactly things went wrong. They had been getting along so well – really well. It wasn't just the Sunday dinners, it was the exchange of text messages, the lunches in Regina's office and that one fall day that was extra warm where Emma convinced Regina to forget about work for an afternoon and go for a walk. The sun was shining down and it highlighted Regina's hair in a way that Emma thought made her look younger or maybe that wasn't the right word, it made her look more carefree.

Gone was the animosity that had defined their interactions in the beginning and it had been replaced by friendship. Lately though Emma had begun to feel things for Regina that were beyond the realm of friendship. Whenever her phone beeped or vibrated and it turned out it was a text from Regina she would end up smiling. Sometimes she would send Regina a funny gif (a lot of Disney cartoons were featured in them) and she would sit back thinking of Regina's facial expression as she saw it. Then she would wait for the inevitable snarky response from her.

And Regina never failed to give snark.

But now Emma felt like it was all slipping away from her.

She left the hospital, figuring she would speak with Dr. Whale when she returned. It didn't seem like Regina felt like doing anything at the moment. Maybe when she returned with Henry Regina would be more willing to go home with her.

Regina continued to lie there in bed, ignoring the nurses when they came in and ignoring Dr. Whale when he came in to check on her.

She couldn't believe this was happening to her, that things could fall apart so quickly.

But maybe she should have seen it coming.

Maybe she should have known that one day she would get exactly what she deserved.

Snow was right she deserved this.

How could someone who had so much blood on their hands ever think they could be worthy of any life that didn't involve pain and misery?  
As she laid there she thought about all those things she had done in her life – all the lives she had ruined, or those she had ordered to be killed. And she realized quickly that there were so many that she couldn't remember them all. Their faces were nothing more than blanks in her mind.

That is what happened when you had wrought so much evil she figured.

She had no idea what to expect next. Emma hadn't killed her and now wouldn't let her leave so she must have something else in store for her. It was pointless to consider what it could be, just as it was pointless to try and fight back.

The Evil Queen had truly been vanquished this time.

And she hadn't seen it coming at all.

In her mind at least things had been going well between her and Emma. In the other woman she had found a friend, someone she could talk with about anything from city business to the mundane. They had even talked about darker parts of their life – Emma as a foster kid and what it was like for her growing up with Cora.

She had told Emma things she hadn't told other people.

It wasn't jut that though. She thought she and Emma had become close – as close as she had been to anyone since Daniel. Lately, she had been thinking more and more about the blonde and not always in the vein of friendship.

Not that she had been prepared to have that kind of conversation with her.

It was a good thing she hadn't because it would have been one more thing for Emma to throw in her face now, something that could be used to hurt her.

There was another knock on her door and she didn't bother to turn to see who it was. She was lying on her side facing the window and had no wish to move or converse with anyone. She hoped it wasn't Emma making another veiled attempt at whatever it was she was trying to accomplish by pretending to be her friend.

Whoever it was didn't say anything but she could hear them walking toward the bed. It wasn't until they came around to her side, grabbing a chair and sitting down that she saw it was Archie.

Despite her situation she laughed.

"It's good to see you have retained your sense of humor," Archie said.

"Oh don't tell me, I'm to be counseled because of this ridiculous hold order."

"It is hospital policy yes that patients who have attempted suicide are required to have a consultation, but I think you and I both know that you didn't try to commit suicide."

"And what makes you so sure I didn't?"

"I know about the attacks, most people in town have heard the rumors at least," Archie said. "Plus I spoke with Sheriff Swan and she explained to me that the hold order was only placed on you out of her fear that you would try and leave, which I understand you did attempt last night."

She sat up in bed. "Well it would appear you already have all the answers, so why are you here?"

"I thought maybe you might need someone to talk to," he said. "If you don't, that is fine, I can leave you alone."

"If you are so much in the know, let me ask you this, do you believe that I was attacked by Emma?"

"I didn't say I knew everything, but if you are willing to talk, I am willing to listen."

"Why waste the breath when you and everyone else in this town would never believe the golden family of Storybrooke could do anything wrong. Even if you would listen to me, you have already said you spoke with Emma so I can naturally assume that anything said would immediately be reported back to her."

"If you chose to speak to me it would be completely confidential," Archie said.

"Forgive me if I believe anything would ever go my way," Regina said. "The stories aren't written that way. The bad guy always loses and I have more than proven over the course of my long lifetime that I'm one of the bad guys. So cricket, why don't you go counsel someone who deserves the comfort you seek to bring."

"Don't you believe you deserve comfort?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe or what I want," she said. "No one cares about you when you are the Evil Queen."

"That's not true, and I think you know it Regina. You haven't been her in a long time," Archie said. "And given the choice I don't think you would ever be her again. But since you brought it up, what is it that you want?"

Regina was confused by this turn in the conversation and it was evident from the expression on her face.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter. Now I think this counseling session is done."

Archie stood up, moving the chair back. "I will leave as requested, but remember Regina, my door is always open if you wish to speak."  
She didn't say anything as he left, merely sunk back down into the bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma could tell Henry was impatient to see his mother from the moment she picked him from school. His leg was bouncing up and down for most of the ride to the hospital. Still, when she parked the car she told him to wait before getting out.

"Look, I don't know what is going on with your mom, but I'm not going to stop until I find out. I had nothing to do with her getting attacked despite what she believes so I'm not her favorite person right now obviously," Emma said. "Even so, I'm not giving up. All I want is for her to be ok, but you are probably going to see us kind of like we were before. I don't want you to think that it means I don't care about your mom, because I do, and I hope she feels the same way about me. Until we clear this up though it's not gonna be pretty most likely. So our goal today is just to get her to come home with us."

"You really think she will go with us?"

"I think if she has to choose between staying in the hospital and going home, she will go home. Will my presence give her pause, most definitely, but I think in the end she will still prefer not to be here," Emma said. "Now remember what I said, don't choose sides, don't give her any reason to think you don't love her and support her unconditionally."

"I do love her and support her," Henry said.

"I know you do. She just can't see that right now," Emma said. "If she says anything to you that gives you pause or makes you think she doesn't love you, then you have to ignore it. That's not her. She's hurt right now and our job is to make her feel better in anyway we can, got it?'

"Got it."

"Alright, let's do this," she said, not feeling at all confident in this turning out well.

Emma let Henry go in by himself while she went to speak with Dr. Whale. When he entered the room, Regina was still lying facing away from the door.

"Mom." he said.

She turned and sat up in bed and looked like she wanted to say something but didn't.

"I brought you some clothes from home to change into," he said putting the bag he was carrying on the chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." She didn't point out that she had been lying there all day and after being sedated the night before she was plenty rested. That wasn't the kind of tired that now plagued her.

"Maybe you will sleep better at home."

"Where is Miss Swan?"

"Talking to the doctor."

"And I take it that she is my ride home?"

Henry nodded.

"I think I will stay here then."

"Mom."

"What Henry? What do you want me to say? She attacked me. I understand that you don't believe me, but that doesn't mean I have to give myself over willingly to whatever she has planned next for me."

"But I do believe you," Henry said. "I believe you."

"You do?" she asked, the skepticism.

"Yes."

"So, when I say Emma was the one who did this to me, you believe I am telling the truth?"

"I believe you are telling the truth," he said. "But I also believe Emma wouldn't hurt you. It doesn't mean I don't think something bad didn't happen to you because it did and I want to help you get better and help figure out who is behind this. I want things to go back to the way they were where we were all happy."

"I don't know that it is possible."

"Well I'm still going to hope that it is."

A part of her – a small part – wanted to be angry with him for not taking her side. But she couldn't. In a way he was still the young boy who had believed in fairy tales so much that he left to find his birth mother in order to break a curse.

The heart of the truest believer.

"I gather that your other mother is getting this ridiculous hold order she put me on canceled."

"Yes."

She huffed out a bit of air. "Fine, go wait outside while I change clothes."

He exited the room and she got out of bed for only the second time that day. She didn't feel secure on her feet, her head still hurting from whatever had gone wrong with her magic the night before. She probably could have complained to the nurse that she had a headache and gotten something for it, but instead she had ignored every nurse and Dr. Whale when they came into the room.

Grabbing the bag she quickly inspected it and knew immediately Emma had packed it. Not only were the clothes folded completely wrong, but Regina would not have chosen something as casual as a pair of jeans and T shirt to wear.

It was still better than a hospital gown so she went into the bathroom and changed. When she was finished and was putting her shoes while sitting in the chair there was a knock on the door and a moment later Dr. Whale entered along with Emma.

"Good afternoon Regina," he said. "After speaking with Sheriff Swan, we agree that it would be best if you continue your recuperation at home."

She almost rolled her eyes.

"However, I do have some concerns," Dr. Whale said. "Specifically, about whatever that was last night when you collapsed in here. Can you perhaps explain what that was about?"

Regina glanced at Emma and then back to him. "It was nothing."

"It was more than nothing," Dr. Whale said. "You were practically unconscious."

"Yet you sedated me anyway," she shot back.

Emma smiled, appreciating hearing some snark from Regina.

"Be that as it may, it is still cause for concern."

"I will revise my earlier statement, it's nothing for you to be concerned about nor is there anything you can do about it. I just need to rest is all," she said.

"Fine," he said. "Your discharge papers are at the desk out there."

"Thank you," she said, although another less polite thought went through her mind.

Once he left, Emma was still standing there, her hands in her back pockets, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Regina ignored her and put on her other shoe before standing and walking past her to the desk.

Getting the paperwork taken care of gave her a few extra moments to consider what she should do. Should she really let Emma take her home? She couldn't transport, not after last night, but the idea of being in a confined space with Emma was not ideal either.

She felt a cold chill as she turned to see Emma and Henry standing there waiting for her. Both had a similar look of expectation on their face.

The three of them stood there, and neither Emma nor Regina at least seemed to want to be the first to speak. Henry looked from one of his moms to the other.

"Maybe we should go," he said finally.

There was still a slight pause on both women's parts but finally Regina began walking. Emma put a hand on Henry's shoulder as they followed her out.

They got to the parking lot where Emma took the lead but as she reached the patrol car she had brought she noticed Regina had stopped several feet from it.

"Where is your car?" Regina asked.

"You don't really care for the bug so I thought I'd bring this," Emma said. She saw Regina was still reluctant to move toward it and she couldn't figure out why her bringing the patrol car would bother her. She really thought that Regina would prefer it over the bug.

"And where should I be sitting? In the back?"

"No," Emma said, realizing now what the issue was. "I'm not taking you to jail or anything, jesus Regina, I'm taking you home."

Regina seemed skeptical but she did finally go over to the passenger side and get in.

The whole ride to the mansion Regina kept quiet and kept her eyes looking out her window, not acknowledging Emma or Henry. Emma figured the short drive was probably not the best time to start broaching the subject of what the hell was going on. Small steps she kept thinking to herself, small steps.

Once they arrived Emma parked the car and hurried around to the other side to open the door for Regina. It wasn't the first time she had ever done this for Regina but it was the first time she didn't receive a thank you. Instead Regina walked right on by her up to the house.

"Oh, hold on," Emma said, and she rushed up and pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

This time Regina did speak to her. "Why do you have the key to my house?"

Emma saw that look for fear in Regina's eyes once more and she knew she had to tread carefully. She took the house key off her ring and held it out to Regina. "I just had it because I didn't want to leave the house unlocked while there was no one here. Henry showed me where you kept the spare and that is all this is, your spare key."

Even though she was holding it out, Regina made no move to take it from her. Finally, Emma gripped it in her hand and simply opened the door for Regina to go in. Regina did so but in a way where she sort of slid sideways into it to so she could keep an eye on Emma.

Great, Emma thought, now she doesn't trust me enough to turn her back on me. She had already planned on beating the hell out whoever was doing this to Regina but now she wanted to take it slow so the person got to feel the terror that Regina must have felt.

Now they were standing in the foyer.

"Are you hungry or anything?" Emma asked. "They said you didn't really eat at the hospital."

Regina shook her head no.

Emma resisted sighing. Instead she turned to Henry. "How about it kid, you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll go to Granny's, pick us some food and be back in a bit," she said, then focusing on Regina again. "I'll bring you back something too just in case you change your mind."

"You're coming back?" Regina asked.

"Yes, I thought maybe I'd stay here for a couple of days and you know make sure you are safe."

Regina took a step back as she considered this new information. Emma couldn't stand the look Regina was giving her which was part incredulous and part fear.

"We can talk more when I get back," Emma said.

Henry closed the door behind her, but when he turned back around to his other mother, she was no longer there. Knowing she couldn't be far he walked into the main room where she was now sitting on the couch looking like she was going to hyperventilate.

"Mom? Mom, are you ok?"

"Why is she staying here? What does she have planned for me?"

Henry came and sat beside her. "She isn't going to do anything to you," he said. "The only thing she has planned it to make sure nothing else happens to you. Just like me. I'm going to keep you safe too. These things keep happening when I'm not here so I'm going to stay here until we are sure no one else is going to hurt you."

Despite telling Emma just yesterday that she would leave the town, she couldn't help but feel a little better having Henry there with her.

"Thank you," she said. "All I need is you, my little prince."

He smiled at her. "It's been a while since you called me that."

"You'll always be my little prince," she said, putting her arm around him and giving him a hug.

"You really should eat something when Emma comes back," Henry said.

"You understand why I don't feel comfortable having her in my home, don't you?"

"Yeah, I get it," he said. "But I think you should talk to her about all of this stuff that's been going on. And if you still want her to leave after that, I will make sure she does. Do you think you can do that?"

She removed her arm from him and gripped her hands in front of her, staring at a point on the floor and no longer at him.

"I'll try."

"Thank you, mom."

…

When Emma returned, she was unsurprised that Regina had made herself scarce. She put the to go box with Regina's food in the fridge and sat at the table with Henry.

"I asked her to talk to you and she said she would try," Henry said.

"Thanks, but I'd rather she talked to me because she wanted to," Emma said, suddenly not feeling that hungry. "I just wish I could find some way to get through to her."

"You will."

They didn't say much else while eating and afterward Emma went in search of Regina. She needed to find out what was going on and her one clue was the one person who seemed to be afraid of her.

Finding Regina turned out to be harder than she expected. She looked all over the main floor before deciding she must be upstairs and probably in her bedroom. Emma slowed as she walked up the stairs, her mind thinking of showing up here to find Regina hanging. When she had first seen her, she thought the worse – thought Regina was dead. It was unfathomable to her in that moment that she could live in a world where Regina wasn't in it.

As she got up the stairs she headed to the bedroom at the end of the hall but stopped when she saw the guest room door was closed. Normally Regina kept it open "to keep it aired out." It was never closed.

Emma gently knocked on the door but heard nothing. Opening the door, she saw Regina curled up asleep on the bed.

Emma leaned against the door frame a moment. Maybe she wasn't the only one who didn't want to go back into the main bedroom.

Closing the door, she decided it was best to let Regina sleep and hope that when she woke she would be more amenable to being around her.

…

Regina was startled awake. It took her a moment to remember she had gone to lay on the bed in the guest room. She wasn't sure why she had woken so abruptly, but a continued feeling of dread had followed her from her sleep. Getting out of bed she looked out the window to see that it was dark outside. There was no clock in this room and she had no idea where her cellphone was – in her bedroom still she supposed.

Walking out of the room she glanced at her bedroom door but didn't go toward it, instead going down. All the lights were off she so guessed it must be late.

Deciding she was thirsty, she went straight to the kitchen. Turning on the light above the sink and grabbing a glass from the cupboard she was filling it up when the kitchen door opened. The glass slipped from her hand and she whirled around to find Emma there with a gun pointed at her.

"Jesus," Emma swore, lowering the gun. "I thought someone was in the house."

Regina was frozen in her spot, the water still running from the faucet behind her.

"Regina," Emma said coming forward. She put her gun on the counter and came right up to the other woman, touching her, only for Regina to flinch. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to stay here, make sure you were safe, remember?" Emma said. "That's why I had my gun out. I thought there was an intruder. I thought you were asleep upstairs so when I heard a noise in here."

Regina was shaking being in this close proximity to Emma so she moved quickly to put some distance between them. She saw Emma's shoulder sink a little as she stepped forward and turned off the water.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I know things are … tense between us right now but you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you. Please, we're both up now, will you talk to me?"

Even though her heart was beginning to slow down from the fright, Regina still didn't feel calm. She thought about Henry and how she had told him she would try.

She nodded slowly and indicated that they should take seats at the table. She waited for Emma to take a seat and then she cautiously chose the one across from her. She could have sat farther away but she wanted to keep an eye on Emma as well in case she did try something.

A part of her felt bad for even thinking it.

And up until the other night she would never have thought Emma was capable of hurting her.

"I don't want to sound all sheriffy but can you maybe start from the beginning and tell me what happened with that first attack."

"You already know, it was your parents after all."

Emma licked her lips, and tried not to argue with Regina off the bat. "Ok, it was my parents, alright, well let's say I have no idea what my parents did. Can you tell me?"

"What is the point? Are you getting some sort of thrill thinking of me telling you?"

So much for not getting angry, Emma thought. "Could you just tell me?" She said it a little more forcibly this time.

It started out slow and she halted several times in the telling but Regina finally began to tell her what happened from the moment she opened the door and saw Snow and Charming there. At times the descriptions were excruciating for Emma to hear but she forced herself to stay seated, stay calm, even though the anger felt like it would consume her.

When Regina got to the part where it was Emma who had attacked her, Emma couldn't take it anymore. She got up and stood behind the chair, gripping the top of it hard.

It took a long while for the full story to come out and even though it was nearing 4 a.m. Emma wasn't tired. Her emotions were too heightened right now to even think about sleep.

Finally, it was all out there and Emma had never felt the distance between her and Regina more.

She didn't even know what to say.

As silence spread throughout the minutes Regina finally stood up and without another word she left. Emma sat down and buried her head in her hands.


	8. Chapter 8

Emma was woken up by Henry from her sleeping place on the couch.

"It's past nine," he said.

"Shit," she swore, grabbing her phone and immediately texting her dad to say she would be in late, not that he couldn't have figured that out by her actually being late. She rubbed her face and eyes trying to wake up more fully. After her talk with Regina she had tried to go back to sleep but found it near impossible.

"Is your mom still asleep?"

"In the kitchen making breakfast actually."

"That's got to be good sign, right?"

Henry shrugged. "She's been pretty quiet."

"Let's see what's for breakfast then," Emma said.

They both entered in the kitchen, apparently with near perfect timing as Regina put down a plate with some scrambled eggs, toast and what Emma figured was turkey bacon on the table for Henry. A moment later there was a plate for her and only then did Emma take a seat.

In the meals they had shared together, the three of them had all sat near the same end of the table, Regina at the head and Emma and Henry at either side of her. This time as Regina got her own plate she chose the far end of the table to sit so she wasn't near either of them.

At least she is eating, Emma thought.

The meal was eaten mostly in silence until Regina spoke up.

"Why aren't you in school?" she asked.

"Um, well, I didn't want to leave you alone," Henry said.

Emma was surprised when Regina looked in her direction.

"I have to go to work," Emma said.

"One day, you can stay home for one day," Regina said to Henry and that was the end of the conversation.

Despite the lack of speaking at breakfast Emma at least felt somewhat good about it overall. Regina hadn't kicked her out or said anything about her leaving, and the insistence that Henry go to school was so Regina.

When she got into work around 10:30 the first thing her father asked her was what if anything she had learned. She sat down and relayed what Regina had told her the night before.

"You know your mom and I had nothing to do with this, right?"

"Of course I do," Emma said. "But it's not about what I think, it's what she believes. Whoever is behind this, they have done a real number on her and I'm not talking about the physical attacks."

"Does she have any idea who could behind this besides us?"  
"We didn't really talk beyond her telling me what happened. I'll try and talk to her some more tonight. I don't get it. We talked to all her neighbors the day of the first attack and no one recalls seeing anyone go inside her house. The same thing for the latest attack, no one saw anyone but me and that was when I found her."

"I think by now it's safe to say that magic has to be involved in this."

"But without Regina's assistance I wouldn't even know where to start looking for a magical answer."

"Then you are just going to have to get her to trust you again so you two can do what you do best, which is work together."

…

Regina spent most of the day in the same way she had every day since giving up being mayor – being bored out of her mind.

It reminded her of her time in Storybrooke before Henry – daily monotony.

She was sitting on the couch, barely paying attention to the book she held in her hand because she couldn't concentrate. Henry kept checking on her throughout the day and at one point she told him to call Emma so Emma could stop by the school before it closed to pick up any homework he might have missed.

Emma had texted her once that day to ask her how she was doing but she ignored it. Before all of this she would have responded in a timely manner to one of Emma's text.

She had ended up retrieving her phone from her bedroom that morning. She hadn't really gone back to sleep after speaking with Emma and when it was morning came she finally walked into the bedroom. She tried not to let her eyes linger on the window as she quickly got her phone and some clothes to change into. Instead of using her own bathroom, she used the other one on the top floor that was generally only used by Henry. It felt odd using it, like everything else in her life recently.

She wanted things to go back to the way they were – but she had given up wishing for such things in her life a long time ago. The thought of Daniel came unbidden into her mind suddenly – the unexpected nature of his death, the crying she did at night so her mother wouldn't know about it and the wishing that she could change things and bring him back to her.

Back then she felt like she had lost everything. This was no different. She was trying to hold on this time – to believe it wasn't all go to end, but there was an inevitable feel to it all.

When she decided she had enough of even attempting to read, she got up to start dinner since she figured that Emma was indeed sticking around.

…

Emma unlocked the front door to the mansion – she had again taken the key since Regina hadn't actually taken it away from her. She locked the door behind her, not taking any chances.

"Hey kid," she yelled. "I got your homework."

She waited for him at the bottom of the stairs and handed it to him. "How was today?"

"Quiet."

Emma was in no way surprised by this. Still she hopeful to get Regina talking – and ultimately trusting her again – even if she had no real idea how she was going to accomplish that.

Knowing there was no reason to delay things, she entered the kitchen. "Need help with anything?"

"No."

Emma came closer, leaning against the island. "What's for dinner?"

"Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, lima beans and applesauce."

"Meatloaf, one of my favorites."

No reaction, not even a snarky comeback.

"Maybe after dinner you and I can talk," Emma said. "About your case I mean."

"I told you what happened. Clearly you don't believe me or else you would have made an arrest already. Although arresting yourself would be hard I understand."

"Lucky for you I still have some investigating to do," Emma said before walking out.

Dinner, while it tasted great, was another silent, awkward affair. Afterward Henry disappeared to do his homework and Emma stuck around while Regina did the dishes.

"Can you think of anyone who would be targeting you?" Emma asked.

Regina gave her a "are you kidding me" look.

"I want to find who did this," Emma said. "I can't do that without you."

Regina continued with the dishes.

"Ok, maybe you can explain to me what is going on with your magic."

This time Regina did stop what she was doing.

"I was electrocuted," she said.

"Yes, but should it still be acting up? Dr. Whale told me what happened in the hospital."

"I haven't been able to rest sufficiently for the affects of it to be over with," Regina said.

"How much time do you need?"

"I don't know. Electrocution was never in any of my magic books," she said.

A little snark.

"Is it possible that magic is involved with this, that someone used magic to look like me or my parents when they did this?"

"No."

"You dismissed that rather quickly."

Regina put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and turned to face her completely, leaning up against the counter. "You don't think I considered that as a possibility after the first attack? You don't think that maybe I would give your parents the benefit of the doubt? There was no trace of magic."

"Is it possible that you overlooked something?"

Regina laughed. "Of course, that is possible, just like it is very possible that you and your parents are indeed involved in this."

"I had nothing to do with this," Emma said. "I will keep telling you this every day if I have to." Moving away from the island, she took a couple of steps toward Regina, who immediately tensed up. "Regina, I didn't hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. Come on, how many times have we sat down and had a meal in here with Henry, like a family, because that's what we are. We're family."

This time Emma closed the distance between them and put her hand on Regina's arm. "We protect our family."

For a moment Emma thought she saw a softening of Regina's features and then Regina was moving away from her. "It's not like I want to believe you are capable of this," Regina said. "I don't. But every one of my senses tells me it was you and your parents and the dwarves. I was there. Your voices, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you smell."  
"The way I smell? You know that?"

"My point is, everything about the attacks tells me that it was you."

"By everything, you mean everything from your senses," Emma said. "What does your heart tell you?"

…

"So how did you answer the question?" Archie asked her.

Regina had told him about the conversation she had with Emma three days ago.

She had come to him the day before – after working up the nerve to do it – and she spent that session telling him about the attacks.

This session had started with telling him about Emma being there at her house and the conversation they had.

"I didn't answer it. I walked away."

"Ok, how would you answer it then?"

There was a long pause. "I don't know."

"Don't take the easy way out Regina."

Another long pause.

"In my heart, I don't believe she had anything to do with it," Regina said finally. "But I also know what I saw."

"Let's concentrate on the first part of your answer," Archie said. "You believe she didn't have anything to do with it, in your heart at least. Why is that?"

She had an expression of confusion as if she didn't understand the question.

"Why do you believe she wouldn't be involved?"

"Because she's … she's Henry's mom."

"Is that all?"

"She's also my friend."

"You and Emma have come a long way since she first arrived here," Archie said. "It's been nice to see you two develop like you have. How do you feel about it? About being friends with her?"

"I'm not sure I've had seen Henry happier than when he saw me and her getting along.

"Again, it's not about Henry. How do you feel about it?"

"I liked being friends with hers," Regina said. "It was nice to have someone to talk to, to spend time with another adult. I guess I didn't really know how lonely I was before."

"Then what is wrong with just answering Emma's question? What is wrong with telling her that in your heart you don't believe she did this?"

"Because what if she is involved? What if this – her staying at my house, saying she is there to protect me – is part of a plot to make me suffer even more?"

….

A week passed and then another week. There were no incidents and everything around town had been peaceful. Well not quite everything.

"Being mayor, even in the interim is driving my mom crazy," Emma said to her during dinner one night. She had stayed at the mansion every night since Regina came home from the hospital. They had fallen into a routine and while it wasn't like it was before Emma could tell Regina was loosening up a bit.

She also knew Regina was bored out of her mind. She had not left the house with the exception of going to see Archie and go grocery shopping and even the shopping she didn't do without Henry there to accompany her.

Henry had told her that Regina was skittish the entire time.

"There is no reason for you not to be mayor," Emma said. "Did you notice that the trash pickup was two days late this past week?"  
"I noticed."

"My mom doesn't know how to deal with things like that."

"She will learn."

"Please, as a favor to me then," Emma said. "She's not the only one being driven crazy by this. If I have to keep hearing her complain and then hearing my dad complain about hearing her complaints, I'm going to be certifiably insane."

"I already had my doubts as to your sanity."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Emma said who was happy to hear more and more of Regina's comebacks lately. "I'm being serious however, please take your job back."

"Let's say I was inclined to, would your mother really be ok with that?"

"She would be here begging you to take it back, I mean if she was allowed to be here that is."

Emma had tried already to get Regina to meet with her parents, but that discussion went no where. Apparently, her staying there was one thing, having her parents stop by for a visit was entirely something Regina wasn't in for. Emma had tried to frame it as her parents wanting to get to the bottom of this as well, which they did want to help, but what Emma wanted was just for them all to be able to sit in the same room together again.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Regina said. "She clearly wanted to be mayor or she wouldn't have insisted on me giving it up."

Emma sighed knowing this was a pointless argument to get into with her, but she still had to try.

"Ok, how about this then? How about tomorrow, we go down to your office – the mayor's office and we see how it goes. I can tell my mom to be there or not, whatever you feel the most comfortable with."

"No."

"Ok, what if I pay you $100 to do it?"

"What?"

"Please. She is driving me and my father insane. She is in way over her head. It's not just the trash pick up, it's a dozen other things that you would know how to handle in your sleep. Please."

She could tell Regina was thinking about it because when she was thinking of two options - neither of which she really liked – Emma noticed she would move her jaw a tiny bit back and forth.

"I will go in," Regina said. "And I will take the $100."

…

Emma walked into the mayor's office behind Regina. Her secretary had greeted her warmly – the first sign that Regina was indeed missed.

Emma hadn't been lying, her mother hated being mayor. Snow had no idea that the people of the town could be so needy about everything little thing from potholes to street lights.

The people had taken for granted that Regina would handle every little thing because that is what she had always done in the past. Then suddenly Regina wasn't there and things had gotten harder.

Regina was immediately dismayed when she walked into the office to see her desk in complete disarray. She briskly walked up to it, taking off her suit jacket and took a seat with a deep exhale.

With papers going through her hands too quickly to even be able to process all that were on them, Emma rocked back and forth on her heels. "Do you want me to stick around?" Emma asked. Regina barely glanced at her before returning her attention to the papers. "Ok, well have fun and I will see you at home later."

There was no acknowledgement from Regina as Emma backed out of the room so she could get to work herself.

By midday Regina was struggling to figure out how Snow could make this much of a mess of city business in such a short time.

After sorting through the paperwork she prioritized everything and then got down to the actual work. It was slow going but by the end of the day she had put out several bureaucratic fires and managed to get the trash schedule rearranged the way she had it originally – a masterful program if she did say so herself.

It was 6 p.m. before she finally decided it was time to leave. As she locked up and walked to her car, which had been fully restored, she almost felt normal. Throughout the day she had gotten a couple of texts from Emma asking her how things were going. She had replied to them, mostly to remind the sheriff that she had a job to do herself and perhaps she should concentrate on that.

Even that little back and forth with Emma felt normal.

She certainly wasn't naïve enough to think that all was normal. Before stepping out of the office she had been careful to take in all surroundings. She swore she wasn't going to get caught unawares again.

Still she took it slow as she walked to her car, listening for any sound that wasn't as it should be. Once at her car she unlocked it and got in quickly and relocked it.

Driving to her house, she thought about what Emma had said earlier that day, "I will see you at home later."

It made her wonder if that is how Emma viewed it – as home.

Her whole relationship with Emma made her feel conflicted. It was also the central theme in her talks with Archie. They had talked about how her relationship with Emma had changed over the years and in their last session Archie had asked her why she thought during her attacks that she had been ordered to stay away from Emma. The only answer Regina could come up with was that since it appeared the Charmings were the first ones to attack it seemed logical that it was merely them wanting her to stay away from their daughter.

Archie had asked her why though, why would they want her to stay away from Emma?

Regina had no answer beyond saying it was obvious due to her past with the Charmings.

Although Archie pointed out that they had all agreed to leave the past in the past, Regina replied that the past never stays buried.

When she got home, Emma's car was already in the drive. For a moment, she let herself think about what it would be like to come home every night to Emma's car in her driveway. Shaking the thought from her head she exited her car – which she kept parked outside, still not quite trusting the garage – and made her way inside. She heard talking and laughing coming from the kitchen and she cautiously approached, stopping at the door and listening. Only Emma and Henry were in there as far as she could tell so she entered.

"Hi mom," Henry said. "How was work?"

Regina smiled, "It was busy."

"How badly did my mom mess things up?" Emma asked.

"Not as bad as she could have."

"Thanks again for taking that off her hands," Emma said. "In fact, we – Henry and I – made dinner for your first day back."

"Dinner?" Regina said, skeptical about Emma making dinner. Not at anytime in their meals together had Emma ever cooked. Yet now Regina could see there was something cooking in the pot behind Emma.

"Chili," Emma said proudly.

Regina approached the stove and took a look in the pot. She wasn't a big chili person but she had to admit it did smell good.

"Why don't you go change out of your work clothes and then we will eat," Emma said.

Regina nodded and went up to her room. It had taken her nearly two weeks to work up to using her room fulltime. The first night she slept in it, she had woken several times – each time feeling like she was choking. That next morning Emma had kept her eye on her a little more closely. Emma had asked her several times how she was doing and each time Regina told her she was fine.

Archie had been encouraging her to be more truthful with Emma, but Regina didn't feel comfortable telling Emma about her struggles. Archie had prescribed her some sleeping pills which she had been using even if she felt odd about doing it, but she knew she couldn't sleep comfortably without them.

She changed quickly into some more casual clothing and returned downstairs where Emma had already dished out the chili with some fritos and cheese in hers and Henry's. after a couple of spoonfuls Emma asked her how it was.

"Good," Regina said. "I should let you cook more often."

"Anytime," Emma smiled at her.


	9. Chapter 9

Emma was feeling pretty good about life. It had been weeks since anything had happened and life was almost normal. Regina was back to work as mayor and she had seemed less skittish around her.

She was still staying at the mansion as she hadn't come up with an excuse to leave because she liked being there with Regina and Henry. Not that she needed an excuse to leave because technically she wasn't supposed to be staying there. She had only meant to stay to make sure nothing had happened to Regina, and nothing had, so she had succeeded.

She still had a lot of questions about what had happened and she was still scared that if she left Regina would again be in danger, which was another reason why she stayed.

Henry was still worried about his mom of course, but he too had become more relaxed as time went by and nothing happened. Those first weeks he had been almost as paranoid as Regina, watching everything around them.

But things were better now – she would dare say almost normal.

And Emma got the feeling that Regina also liked having her there – not that she would ever admit it. It seemed as if they had a silent agreement just not to talk about it.

But Emma did want to talk about it.

The more she stayed there, the more she felt like it was where she was supposed to be. It was like an enhanced feeling of what she felt when she could come over for Sunday dinners.

It felt like family.

Regina and she had become close before the attacks happened and Emma wanted it to be like that again. They were sort of almost there, but not quite. There was still apprehension on Regina's part. She still avoided going out a lot and when Snow came to see her to finalize her transition back to mayor, Regina hadn't said a word, just let Snow talk. Her mom could tell Regina was uncomfortable so she didn't linger.

Emma wasn't sure how to talk to Regina about this though. How did you tell someone who at least partially thinks you and your family are responsible for hurting them that the place you feel most at home is with her?

She knew Regina was still seeing Archie, but whatever they were talking about Regina wasn't sharing.

It was a good day though and as Emma was driving home from work – a little late but she had texted to let Regina know she was – she thought about how maybe tonight she could sit down with Regina and talk about the things they never seem to talk about.

A part of her was a little apprehensive, but a bigger part was excited at the prospect of finally having it out there.

Maybe she was being naïve but she also thought that maybe this would help Regina turn the corner finally from what happened. Maybe, she would see how sincere she was being and realize there was no way she – or her family – could have had anything to do with it.

It's not like Emma wanted her to forget it happened. No, Emma still wanted to find out who was responsible and maybe use some Enchanted Forest justice (which she assumed was a lot tougher) on their ass.

She had nothing to go on to even begin to figure out what happened though.

Getting to the mansion, she hung up her jacket and headed straight to the dining table where Henry and Regina were already seated.

"You couldn't have waited like 10 more minutes?" Emma asked, taking her seat.

"We waited 30," Regina pointed out.

Emma grabbed her plate and began to dish out her own food. Now coming home to Regina's cooking was definitely a bonus.

"How was work?" Emma asked as she started to eat.

"It was fine," Regina said.

"Just fine?"

"Yes, Miss Swan, it was fine."

"Emma," she said. "We agreed that my name was Emma and you would call me that."

"Did we?" Regina said offering up a small smile.

Emma gave her a big smile in return and then continued to eat after asking Henry how his day was.

Regina watched Emma eating as Henry was speaking. It almost felt like one of their Sunday dinners before all of this happened.

Archie had asked her a lot about those dinners – it had taken up many sessions.

The questions started with how things got started with the Sunday dinners and how she felt about it, and how she thought Emma felt about it.

Most of their conversations had centered on Emma lately.

Archie was trying to get her to speak honestly about how things had changed between her and Emma over the last few years.

Things had changed, Regina wasn't stupid or blind, she knew that what she and Emma had wasn't the antagonistic relationship that had defined their early interactions. It was why she had so much trouble truly believing that Emma would have anything to do with hurting her.

She had wrestled with that more and more as Emma continued to stay there. Nothing had happened to her since she had been living there with Emma.

But that didn't mean that Regina felt 100 percent safe.

She was trying to be careful about her interactions with those few people she had contact with, not wanting to set anyone off. Emma's parents were still off limits as far as she was concerned, and for the most part she had been able to avoid contact with them. The one time she had seen one of the dwarves she had made herself scarce.

Her magic was still unstable though and that is what bothered her the most. She had rested enough that she shouldn't be having any issues yet when she had tried transporting the other day it had wiped her out and she had gotten a migraine for her troubles.

She had decided that tomorrow she would go see Mr. Gold as much as she was loathe to do that. But she needed answers and he was the only one she could talk to about this.

After dinner she was washing dishes with Emma assisting in the drying – a habit they had gotten into.

"So, things have been better, right?" Emma said.

Regina sensed some hesitation in Emma's speech, but she didn't respond, knowing even if she didn't Emma would continue to speak. She had noticed that about Emma – that if she was nervous she would ramble.

"Do you think that it's been better?" Emma asked, apparently not ready to give up this part of the conversation.

"Yes," Regina said after a pause.

"Good," Emma responded. "I thought things had been better too."

Regina didn't respond.

"Do you think whatever it is, is over then?"

This time Regina stopped what she was doing and faced Emma. "You are probably better equipped to answer that than me," she said.

"Come on, don't do this," Emma said. "We just agreed things were better."

"Yes, we did," Regina said. "But then you asked if this was over, I assume you meant the attacks on me. Well how would I know that?"

"How would I know it?" Emma said. "For the last time, I had nothing to do with you getting hurt. I wouldn't do anything to harm you and the fact you don't believe that …"

She cut herself off, throwing the towel down on the counter and began to walk away.

"Wait," Regina said and she waited until Emma turned back toward her. "It's not like I want to believe you had anything to do with this."

"Then why do you?"

"You have to understand that I saw you come into my room that night," Regina said. "I saw you."

"It wasn't me," Emma insisted. "Ignore your senses for one second. Ignore what you think you saw or heard that night and tell me do you believe I am capable of hurting you like that?"

Regina looked into Emma's eyes, which seemed to be pleading with her.

"No," Regina said. "I don't believe you would."

Emma let out an audible sigh of relief and smiled at her. "Thank you," Emma said. "Thank you."

"But someone did this to me," Regina said.

"I know," Emma said coming closer to her. "But nothing has happened since that last attack. Maybe whoever it was decided to give up."

"Or maybe your presence here is preventing it. Perhaps we need to set a trap for whoever it is by giving them another opportunity at getting to me. Maybe it's time you go back to your own place."

"No," Emma said immediately. "That's not going to happen. I'm not leaving you out here as bait again. Last time we thought we knew when they would strike and I was nearly too late to save you. No. I can't go through that again."

Emma took another step forward – practically standing toe to toe with Regina. "I won't, so don't ask me to," she said.

"Emma," Regina whispered. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to keep you safe."

"Is that all?"

Emma felt like this was the moment she had been waiting for – the moment to bring up this thing between her and Regina. Still, she found herself hesitating because she didn't know the words to say.

Instead she moved even closer and pressed her lips to Regina's.

She was more than little surprised when Regina began to kiss her back. Emma wrapped her arms around Regina as they continued to kiss. It was Regina who pulled away first.

"Emma," she said.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while now," Emma replied.

"I think maybe I have been wanting that for a while now too."

Emma smiled at her, "yeah? Well, it took us long enough to get here didn't it? Wow, I mean we just kissed, how epic is that?"

Regina couldn't help but laugh at Emma's giddiness.

"Can I have another kiss?" Emma asked.

Both women leaned in for another kiss.

"So, what do we do now?" Emma asked after several more kisses and their retirement into the main room.

"I don't know," Regina said. "I never thought that this would be something that could ever happen."

"It is pretty crazy," Emma said. "But it also feels right at the same time. I have been thinking about this for a while now. Things between us have changed a lot and Sunday dinners over here became the bright spot of my week."

"Why didn't you say something before?"

Emma shrugged, "I was scared I guess. Scared of rejection, scared that this was all in my head or that you didn't feel the same. Then when I came here that day and found you in there tied to that chair, it was like … I don't know how to even put it into words. I just felt sick with rage that someone would do this to you and then when you pushed me away, I didn't understand because I thought we had gotten close and that you would have turned to me for help."

"I wanted to," Regina said. "But it seemed like at least part of the reason I was being targeted was because of you."

"See, that is what I don't get," Emma said. "Why? Why would anyone care if you were spending time with me?"

"I could understand it though," Regina said.

"How so?"

"Come on, Emma, I'm the Evil Queen, your mom is Snow White. Everything should be against the very idea of you and I being friends, much less anything else."

Emma reached over and took Regina's hand. "You aren't the Evil Queen, not to me and not to a lot of people in this town anymore," Emma said. "Besides, what we do, it's our decision, not anyone else's and what I want it to do this, to move forward with you. Is that what you want?"

Regina hesitated, looking down at Emma's hand gripping her own. "Yes," she said finally. "I think I would."

….

Regina took her time the next morning as she didn't have to be into work until a little later due to having a council committee meeting that evening. She still couldn't believe the step Emma and she had taken last night. A part of her wanted to call Archie and ask if he could see her today because she had a lot to talk about.

Emma had been one of their major topics of conversation as it was and last night's unexpected revelation on her part had both excited and scared Regina.

After she had agreed that she wanted to move forward with Emma, they hadn't really spoken too much more about it. Instead, Emma had steered the conversation back to the attacks, trying to figure out whether or not she had been looking at it the wrong way. Maybe, Regina was targeted because of Emma, she had said. Regina didn't give much credence to the theory as she was sure that she was targeted for all she had done in her life, but she could also tell that Emma was searching for something, anything to make sense of this. Emma wanted to figure it out so that she could protect Regina.

Regina wasn't used to that – someone wanting to protect her.

She was just pouring herself a cup of coffee when she heard the front door open and shut.  
"Emma?" she called out.

The door had been locked – she was sure of it, so it had be to Emma or Henry. Still, for a moment her fear kept her from moving even an inch.

"Mom?" she heard Henry say and she was able to exhale.

"Henry, I'm in here, what are you doing home?"

Henry came into the kitchen but didn't say anything immediately. He was still wearing his backpack from school.

"Henry, is something wrong, why aren't you in school?"

"I needed to talk to you," he said.

"What is it?" she asked coming closer to him.

"It's about you and Emma," he said. "I had come back downstairs last night and I saw you. I saw you kissing Emma."

They had talked last night – not a lot – but they had agreed to keep the changing nature of their relationship a secret for now. And they agreed the first person they would need to address it with was their son.

"Oh," Regina said. "You probably have a lot of questions and …"

"How could you?" he interrupted her. "How could you do that? Why do you have to ruin everything?"

"Henry," she said, taking a step closer to him.

"She's the Savior. You are the Evil Queen. How could you!" he yelled at her. "She's a good person. She's everything you're not."

"Henry," she repeated. "Why are you saying these things?"

"Because they are true," he answered. "You know this. You have to know that you don't deserve her. There is nothing you could ever do to make up for the things you have done in order to ever deserve that kind of happiness."

Regina didn't know what to say and so she stood there not saying anything, not comprehending what was happening. Even as Henry slid his backpack off and opened it, pulling something out that she couldn't see at first and then she did – it was an apple.

He walked over and sat it on the island.

"If you don't want to ruin everything again, then just take a bite," he said.

Without another word, he turned and walked out.

….

Emma had a smile on her face from the moment she walked into the station that morning. She had done it – she had kissed Regina and Regina had kissed her back. And not only had she kissed back, she had said she wanted to move forward with Emma together.

A part of her had woken up that morning thinking it was a dream but when she had seen Regina that morning and saw the smile on her face, she knew it had happened.

They hadn't kissed that morning, hadn't said much to each other in fact but there would be plenty of time for talking later.

Plenty of time for other stuff later.

The thought of being together with Regina and Henry – being a family – that is why she kept smiling. She had finally found her home – her true north.

She smiled again – even as her phone rang and she answered.

"Sheriff Swan."

"Hi sheriff, this is Sandra over at the mayor's office," she said. "The mayor hasn't been in yet today, I know she was coming in later but she's still not here yet and she's not answering her phone."

Emma felt like her heart stopped and she didn't answer right away. "Um, I will go check on her."

She hung up the phone and rushed from her office.

"Emma?" her father said.  
"It's Regina," Emma said, not stopping. She heard the scrape of the chair as her father followed her out. They got in one of the cruisers and sped toward the mansion.

The car was barely in park before Emma was out of it and running toward the door. She got to it, expecting it would be unlocked because if someone had gotten to Regina … but it was locked still and she had to fish out her key to get it open.

"Regina!" she yelled. "Regina!"

She checked the main room and her father branched off from her. He yelled for a moment later and she ran to the kitchen where she found her father kneeling next to an unconscious Regina.

"She's breathing," he said immediately.

Emma knelt beside her, shaking her, trying to get her to wake up. "Regina," she said, "Come on, wake up, wake up."

She heard her father calling dispatch to send an ambulance as she continued to try and get Regina to wake. Her mind kept telling her that this was impossible. Not after what they shared last night, this couldn't be happening.

By the time the ambulance arrived Regina was still unconscious and Charming had forced her stop trying to wake Regina. She was pacing as the EMTs checked Regina's pulse and looked for any sign of injury.

As they wheeled her out, Emma looked to her father. "I thought she'd be safe. After all this time and nothing had happened. I thought she was safe."

"It's going to be ok," he said giving her a hug. Emma hugged him back but as she did she noticed something by one of the counters. Pulling away, she walked over and picked it up, showing it to her father.

It was a red apple with one bite missing.


	10. Chapter 10

Henry came down the hall with Snow on his heels.

“Is she ok?” he asked Emma.

Charming had called Snow at school and she had gotten Henry out of class and brought him down.

“We don’t know yet,” she responded. “Dr. Whale hasn’t been out yet to talk to us.”

“Well, what happened? How was she hurt?”

“She … we don’t know, I … we found her unconscious in the kitchen. Her secretary had called when she hadn’t showed up to work. But, there isn’t a mark on her or anything, she just wouldn’t wake up,” Emma said.

Dr. Whale came out as she finished speaking and they all turned toward him.

“It appears Regina is in a coma,” he said. “As of now, we don’t know why or what caused it. We are running every test we can think of.”

Emma pulled a plastic bag from her coat pocket, “here, you might want to test that.”

Whale held up the bag that contained the apple. “What’s this?”

“We found it lying near her. It looks like she took a bite from it. Maybe, maybe it was poisoned or something.”

“Surely, you aren’t suggesting someone poisoned the queen with an apple,” Whale said.

“I just think we should explore all options,” Emma said. “Someone has clearly been targeting Regina and using an apple, well, it would certainly send a message.”

“Yes, but back home, the apple I bit into,” Snow said. “It was poisoned by magic. It was a curse. The only way to wake up from it is true love’s kiss.”

“I’ll do it,” Henry offered. “I love her. Let me kiss her and then she’ll wake up and she’ll tell us what happened.”

Snow put her hand on Henry’s shoulder. “It’s worth a try at the very least.”

Emma nodded although she was already having doubts about it working. Something wasn’t adding up about all of this, and for this to happen now after she and Regina …

“Maybe we should also have Gold look at the apple,” Charming added. “If magic is involved, he would be able to tell us.”

“Well, I will have a sample of this taken to the lab,” Whale said. “Then you can have the remaining part for Mr. Gold to examine. A nurse will come out and let you know when Regina can have visitors.”

Emma sat down, her mind working in overdrive thinking about this.

“Emma, are you ok?” Snow asked.

“It doesn’t make sense. None of this makes sense,” she said. “It hasn’t since this whole thing started. If, if that apple is cursed, why wouldn’t she have known that. She has her own magic, surely she could tell if it was cursed. And if she knew then why would she take a bite of it? Why now?”

“It’s been that way from the beginning,” her father said. “A lot of questions but no answers.”

“Yeah, but why?” Emma insisted. “Why has this been so impossible to figure out? The things she experienced, she thought we were involved, but we weren’t. She saw us though. She wasn’t lying about what she saw, but we know we weren’t involved. Magic is the only answer, but she said she sensed no magic.”

“You also said her own magic was not working correctly,” Snow said. “Maybe she was unable to detect another magic because of what was happening with her own.”

Again, it was something she had considered before. She had thought she had considered everything, but she couldn’t have because if she had then they would have made some progress.

…

It was a while before the nurse came to tell them that Regina could have visitors. Emma and Henry went in while her parents stayed out in the hall.

She looks like she is sleeping peacefully was Emma’s first thought.

The nurse had updated them – telling them that they had found no cause for the coma as of yet. There were no puncture or injection marks or any other sign on her body that she had been assaulted in anyway. All her brain functions appeared to be normal, she had said.

Any other lab reports including those of the apple would be a while before results were completed.

“Should I kiss her?” Henry asked.

“Yeah kid, go ahead,” Emma said.

Henry leaned over the bed and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek but nothing happened. The disappointment was clear on his face.

“We don’t even know if this is a curse or not,” Emma said.

“Maybe you should try it,” Henry offered.

Emma looked at him, unsure what to say. Despite that she and Regina had already kissed, they hadn’t really gotten the chance to talk much about it and what they would say to people, especially Henry.

Although Henry already knew at least that Emma cared for Regina. That was a long way from doing something like this – giving her a kiss in the hopes it would wake her. If it was a curse, a True Love’s kiss was the only cure.

Emma wasn’t sure if she was scared of it working or not working.

She approached the bed feeling more nervous now then maybe she had ever been. Leaning over it, she pressed her lips to Regina’s but she immediately knew nothing was going to happen.

Standing back up, she looked to Henry.

“What do we do now?” he asked.

But she didn’t have an answer.

…

 

One week later

 

Emma sat in the chair inside Regina’s hospital room staring at her as she remained in a coma. They were no where close to figuring out what had happened to her or why she was in this state.

The apple had been tested by Whale and nothing had been discovered. Gold had also examined it and he said there was no trace it was magical in anyway. He even came to the hospital to see Regina and declared he could sense no magical reason for why she would be like this.

All the tests and scans that Whale had run on her had been for naught.

Every day Emma had come here to check on her, less time each day because she really didn’t like seeing her like this. As it was, she was here on her lunch break and needed to leave soon to get back to work.

A knock on the door frame drew her attention to a new visitor – Archie.

“Hi Emma,” he said. “Am I interrupting?”

“Clearly not.”

Archie walked toward the bed and his eyes went to Regina first before turning toward her.   
“How are you?”

“Just great,” Emma said standing.

“Are you leaving?”  
“I have to get back to work,” she said walking toward the door.

“I was actually hoping I could speak with you in private,” Archie said. “It’s about Regina and what’s been happening to her.”

“If you know something why have you waited this long to say anything?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know anything, or rather I don’t know that I know anything,” Archie said. “As you know Regina and I have been speaking at length since her last time in the hospital. We have talked about each of the attacks in detail, just as we have spoken about other topics such as her feelings for you.”

Emma looked toward Regina, “she told you about that.”

“Yes, which is why I thought I might speak to you in private,” Archie said. “I would not break Regina’s confidence if I didn’t hope that maybe together we could figure out what is wrong with her.”

“Did she give you any idea of who she thought was attacking her?”

“No, at least not beyond what she has already told you about your parents and you supposedly being involved.”

“She didn’t believe that.”

“I know she didn’t, although she did believe it at first. It was that convincing to her,” Archie said. “And I think that might be key to understanding what it happening to her now.”

“How do you mean?”

“It’s already gotten all around town as I’m sure you are aware that Regina is lying here in this bed because she took a bite from an apple,” Archie said. “The question then becomes who could convince her take such a bite?”

“If you have an idea who that might be, tell me,” Emma said.

“I think it’s a little more complicated than pointing the finger at someone,” Archie said. “Again, I think you and I should speak in private.”

This is why Emma hated shrinks, they could never just give you a straight answer. They wanted you to work for the answer they could have simply given you.

“After my shift, at your office, ok?” Emma said.

“Yes,” he said.

…

Emma had found it hard to concentrate on her work for the rest of her shift. It wasn’t just because of Archie, although he was the main reason. No, it was because all she could think of all the time now was how close she and Regina had become and how it may all be gone now.

She wished she could banish such negative thoughts from her head, but the truth was, she felt like a failure. She had promised to help Regina through all of this but she had yet to actually prevent one of these attacks from happening. She was no closer to figuring any of it out than she had been practically since the beginning.

Now Regina may never wake up.

Some where someone had wanted to make the Evil Queen pay, and they had succeeded.

Yet, the question Archie posed was still doing circles in her head. They knew Regina had taken a bite from the apple, an apple that while it had no trace of magic or poison, seemed to be the agreed upon reason as to why she was lying in a hospital bed.

So why would she take a bite?

Emma had been staying there so she knew the apple had not been in the house, which means someone had brought it in. But who could have brought it in?

She ended up leaving 30 minutes before her shift was over and going over to Archie’s. She knocked on the door and as soon as he opened it, she was moving around him, speaking at the same time. “Whatever you know, you need to tell it to me straight,” Emma said. “None of this shrink speak, just lay it out for me because clearly you know something.”

“I don’t know that I really know anything of use to you,” Archie said. “And I am concerned about even speaking to you about conversations I had with Regina. Those conversations were of a private nature and I’m hesitant to speak of things said in confidence.”

“I’m sure if Regina wakes up she will forgive you,” Emma said. “Now tell me what is going on?”

“Please, sit.”

Emma thought about remaining standing but instead took the offered seat.

“Before we talk, I need to ask you something,” Archie said. “Do you have feelings for Regina?”

Emma started to laugh. She wasn’t sure why she was laughing, only that it seemed so absurd that she would be sitting here in Archie’s office and that he would so casually ask that. Especially, after all that had happened and after Regina fell into a coma the day after they had finally admitted they had feelings for each other.

“Yes,” Emma said. “I have feelings for Regina. I’ve had them for a while now and the other night, I kissed her. And you know what? It was amazing. It was like all this tension and anxiety disappeared because there she was and there I was and for once we were just there together and it felt right. Then, then the next morning I go to work only to get called back to the house where she is lying there unconscious.”

“You confessed your feeling for her and how did she react?”

Emma could again hardly believe she was having this conversation with him. “She kissed me back, that is how it went,” she said. “She kissed me back and she was happy.”

She almost missed the subtle expression change in Archie as it lasted only a second or two.

“What?” she asked.   
“You say she was happy, are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure, what are you getting at?”

“No, I’m not doubting that she kissed you back or that she returns your feelings. In fact, I fear that the reason why Regina is lying there in the hospital bed right now is because of your mutual confession.”

Emma stood up, she couldn’t help it. She was done with this. “From the very beginning of this, Regina said the people who attacked her wanted her to stay away from me,” Emma said. “It’s not like I haven’t thought about how that could be connected. So, if someone is targeting her because she and I have gotten close, and you know who that person might be you better speak up. Did Regina tell you something?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just I fear the reason she is in a coma has nothing to do with anyone else,” Archie said. “I think Regina has done this to herself.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It does though,” Archie said. “It does because Regina doesn’t believe she deserves to be happy.”


	11. Chapter 11

“What do you mean?” Emma asked. “Why doesn’t she believe she deserves to be happy and what does that have to do with her being in a coma?”

“Emma, please, sit.”

Again, it was the last thing she wanted to do, but she also wanted to figure out what the hell Archie was talking about.

“Since Regina has been coming to me, she has revealed certain things, mostly about her changing relationship with you. We have talked extensively about how you have become a more permanent part of her life,” Archie said.

That made Emma happy, knowing that Regina had also seen how they had grown together. It was nice to know she wasn’t the only one that had recognized it for what it was.

She wished Regina had been talking to her about these things and not Archie.

“Regina, I think without even realizing it herself, had fallen in love with you, but the problem was when she did realize it,” Archie said. “Can you tell me what happened the weekend before the first attack? Anything you can remember.”

Knowing there must be a purpose to the question, Emma tried to think back to that weekend.

“Nothing special,” Emma finally said. “It was like any other weekend I guess. I mean I didn’t even see Regina that weekend because it was Henry’s weekend with her and so I wasn’t bringing him back there.”

“Correct, you didn’t see Regina that weekend, which gave her a lot of time to think about you and how close the two of you had become. It was in that weekend that Regina came to the conclusion that she did have some sort of feelings for you. She was unsure what to do about it,” Archie said.

“I think that is what prompted the first attack,” he continued. “When Reign first opened up to me, not about the attacks, but about you and her feelings for you. One of the first things she mentioned was that she didn’t think it mattered if you returned those feelings because any relationship would be complicated with you because of who your parents are. Surely, you see why she would think that.”

“Of course, I do,” Emma said. “But my parents get along with Regina now. They have all put the past behind them.”

“Which I pointed out to her, but as she responded, it’s one thing for them to have peace between them now, it’s quite another thing if she were date their daughter.”

“Ok,” Emma shrugged, “It may have been strange for everyone at first, but I don’t think my parents would be that big of a barrier.”

“Like I said, Regina mentioned it as one of the first things. Now let’s go back to what she says happened in that first attack,” Archie said. “She said it was your parents who showed up at her door that morning.”

Emma thought about what Archie was saying. But she still couldn’t wrap her mind around it.

“That was the first time she was given the warning to stay away from you,” Archie said. “And she tried to do so.”

“Yeah and she did. The only reason I found out about the second attack was because I saw the bruising on her arm,” Emma said. “So why did the second attack happen under your theory?”

Archie could tell that Emma wasn’t ready to believe what he thought had happened to Regina. He didn’t have any real proof that he was right, but the first step was to pass the insight on to Emma. If he was right, Regina wouldn’t wake up without Emma’s help.

“I’m not sure what prompted the second attack,” Archie admitted. “But I think there was a message in it all the same. Regina’s car, it’s as much as a status symbol as her title as mayor or the mansion. To destroy it like that was a way of tearing down Regina’s standing. As queen, she was practically untouchable yet much of that was nothing more than the façade of strength she exuded. She was defeated by the strength of numbers against her led by your parents. They united the people against her and that cloak of invulnerability disappeared from her. I believe that was the purpose of this second attack. Twice she was attacked in her home – a place she should feel safe, and the second time her car was taken from her by the dwarves – the first people to really support your mother in her quest to take Regina down and reclaim her crown.”

“Are you sure you aren’t reading a bit too much into all of this?” Emma asked.

“I could be,” Archie said. “But tell me, you’ve been investigating this since the first attack, what have you come up with?”

Emma got to her feet, ready to tell Archie he better get to the point or she was out of there. She didn’t need her own failures thrown in her face. She was well aware that it her responsibility to find out who had attacked Regina, but what Archie was saying made no sense.

But she hadn’t come up with a single clue as to who could have attacked Regina.

“Ok, let’s back up a bit,” Emma said. “Did you point out any of these things to Regina?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I was hoping that if I was right, that she would come to the conclusion on her own,” Archie said. “Therapy works better if you let the patient come to their own realizations. Besides, I wasn’t completely sure I was right. When Regina fell into a coma, I waited like everyone else to see if some plausible reason was given. It didn’t take long for the story about the apple to get around town. That is what sealed it for me and why I sought you out.”

“Why did that seal it for you?”

“It was the ultimate karma. The idea that she would lapse into sleep after taking a bite of an apple, surely the thought crossed your mind.”

“I admit that I thought the apple had something to do with it, but we had it tested. There was no poison in it and no magic in it,” Emma said.

“Oh, I think it was a perfectly normal apple,” Archie said, then he paused. “Maybe I am explaining this poorly.”

“Yeah, you lost me. Just give it to me straight. What do you think happened to Regina?”

“I think all the attacks on her were Regina doing it to herself. I believe she had no idea she was doing it, but I think she was unconsciously using her magic to make these attacks take form in a way that made sense to her mind. Again this was all in her subconscious. She believed she was being attacked by these other people, including you.”

“But she didn’t detect any magic. She checked.”

“Again, she checked for it. Why would she check for her own magic?”

Emma sat down again. She started to think through what Archie was saying. Could it be possible? Could Regina have done this to herself?

“Why? Why would she do this even subconsciously?”

“Like I said, Regina doesn’t believe she deserves to be happy,” Archie said. “Everything she has done in her life, the lives she has taken or damaged. She can’t look at herself and see someone who deserves a chance at happiness. And for all this time it hasn’t mattered, but then you and her started to grow close and she saw the possibility of happiness so she sabotaged it. But you wouldn’t let her just give up. And then you kissed her.”

Emma started to rethink everything that had happened under this new lens. If her kissing Regina, getting Regina to admit there was feelings there on her part, what if that had been the catalyst for this coma. Regina had made her mother bite into a poisoned apple, which took her away from the man she loved.

If Regina truly believed she didn’t deserve happiness, and was doing this to herself, it would be karmic retribution for her to choose a manner similar to what had been done to Snow.

“Let’s say you are right,” Emma said. “How do we wake her up?”

“I have no idea.”


	12. Chapter 12

Emma walked into the darkened hospital room where Regina lay sleeping. She probably should be at home, but she had left after Henry had gone to sleep to come here and see Regina. Her talk with Archie earlier had given her a lot to think about, but she hadn’t shared his theory with anyone yet.

She was still trying to wrap her mind around it as it was.

A big part of her wanted to dismiss what Archie said, but she couldn’t do that. Why she couldn’t do that is what had brought her here to the hospital way past visiting hours.

Bringing the chair closer to the bed, she took a seat and put her hand on top of Regina’s.

“Why don’t you believe you deserve to be happy?” Emma asked quietly. She knew it was stupid to ask it, but she really wanted to know the answer – or rather she wanted to hear the answer from Regina.

From what Archie said, she knew the answer, but if Regina could just tell her why then Emma could tell her how wrong she was.

“I get it,” Emma said. “I really do. You have done some really shitty things in your life. But that was in the past. That’s not who you are now.”

Even after Archie had told he didn’t know how to wake Regina up, Emma had stayed there, wanting to argue with him about this idea of his. She didn’t want it to be true. She didn’t want to believe that Regina would inflict this pain on herself, even subconsciously.

He explained to her that he thought the third attack – the one where Snow shot her and Ruby in wolf form bit her – was maybe Regina’s mind telling her that her old enemies were still her enemies and they were not going to let her be happy either. They wanted her put in her place, which is why she was forced to give up her remaining power as mayor.

Emma hadn’t wanted to know, but she couldn’t help but ask Archie what his opinion was of the fourth attack – the one where she supposedly harmed Regina. He said that the reoccurring theme throughout the attacks that Regina should stay away from Emma was probably Regina’s subconscious telling her she needed to stay away because Emma could be a path to that happiness she felt she didn’t deserve. And prior to that attack, Regina still saw Emma as an ally – someone who cared about her – so her mind created a way to ensure that Regina no longer viewed Emma that way.

That manifested itself in Emma attacking Regina and nearly killing her.

Emma still wanted to argue with Archie about this. After all, if this was all in Regina’s head, then how did Regina end up tied to a chair with a devise to electrocute her? How did her car get damaged? How did she end up hanging from the curtain rod?

He calmly explained that it wasn’t just in Regina’s head. Due to her magic, she was able to make these things happen. It was all so convincing to Regina that she believed it had all happened the way she had told them it had. She believed people like Snow and Ruby and Emma were all involved.

And maybe her magic was so powerful that is actually manifested versions of these people to attack her. Archie said there was no real way to know but that Regina’s magic had to be a part of it.

But then she started to disbelieve it – or rather disbelieve that Emma could have attacked her.

Again, Archie thought this was key to this last incident. While he couldn’t conjecture on what happened to Regina prior to her biting that apple, he believed it had to be something that would shatter her completely. If she was going to believe Emma wasn’t involved then her mind had to give her something else she could believe – something that would convince her she couldn’t be happy.

Emma thought again about the kiss they shared. Had it been the reason that Regina was lying there now? Regina had admitted she didn’t believe Emma was involved. She had admitted there were feelings there for Emma. Was that enough for her mind to go on the offensive to keep her from experiencing happiness.

Standing up, Emma leaned over the bed and gave Regina a small kiss on the lips. “Hey, can you hear me in there?” Emma said. “It’s time to wake up. Just open your eyes Regina. Whatever is going on in that head of yours, we’ll figure it out together. I will show you that you deserve happiness, but you have to believe in me like you believed me in before. You know I didn’t attack you. You know you can trust me. So trust me now and open your eyes.”

Regina continued to lie there and Emma sat back down. If this were all in Regina’s mind, how could she snap her out of it if she wasn’t awake for Emma to talk to?

How could she show Regina that it alright to open her eyes?

Magic, Emma thought suddenly. If Regina couldn’t have done this to herself without magic, then maybe magic was the only way to bring her out of it.

But Emma didn’t know enough about magic to even know where to begin. There was only one other person in town besides Regina who knew enough about magic to possibly help. While Gold had been willing to examine the apple for magical properties, Emma figured it would be a much different task getting him to help now. After all, if she couldn’t quite believe Archie’s theory, Emma highly doubted that Gold would believe it.

…

Well this is going just as I thought it would, Emma thought as she stood in Gold’s shop, her arms crossed in front of her after telling Gold about Archie’s theory.

Gold’s initial reaction was completely dismissive.

“Why won’t you at least consider that this is a possibility?” Emma asked.

“A better question would be why are you considering this a possibility,” Gold said.

“Because,” Emma said, before pausing. How could she even begin to give an explanation? “Because, we got nothing else. We either have someone who is targeting Regina and doing it in such a way that not only is there no physical evidence of it there is also no magical evidence of it. Do you really think there is someone in this town who is that good that you couldn’t detect a trace of their magic in an apple? Or might it just be possible that after all the shit that has happened in her life that Regina finally broke?”

That is really the crux of what Emma didn’t want to think about. The idea that Regina would do this to herself because in her mind she would rather be punished for her sins rather than believe a happy life was possible for her.

At least Gold now seemed to be considering this last part as he fell silent.

“Why, if she is indeed doing this to herself, did I not at least detect her magic on the apple?” Gold countered.

“I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers,” Emma said. “Maybe the apple is just an apple. Maybe it’s what it represents in her mind that has put her in a coma. What I want to know is if there is a way magically to reach her.”

Again, Gold fell silent as he thought it through. Emma didn’t know what she would do if he shot her down. She knew she was already grasping at straw but if nothing else Archie had given her something to work on.

“If you think standing there will make me come up with an answer quicker, you are mistaken,” Gold said finally. “I need to give this some thought. I will contact you if I think of anything.”

“Ok,” Emma said, figuring this was the best she was going to get from him. She began to walk out of the store when Gold spoke again.   
“You know sheriff, if your theory is correct, there may not be anything that magic can do that will convince Regina that she isn’t getting exactly what she deserves.”

“I don’t need magic to do that,” Emma said. “I just need magic to help me deliver the message.”

….

It was a few days later that Emma finally broke down and told her parents and Henry about Archie’s theory. She had checked in with Gold each day but he told her to be patient. She did know that Gold had been to the hospital earlier that day to see Regina. She guessed it had something to do with whatever he may or may not be working on to help Emma reach her.

If only Regina knew what was going on while she slept – that people she once considered enemies like Gold and Emma’s parents were working to do whatever they could to help. Maybe that would show Regina that she had changed enough that people no longer saw her as the Evil Queen and she could have happiness.

The only reason she was telling her family about Archie’s theory now was that she wanted to give Henry some hope. She could see how this was wearing on him, how each day that Regina slept he lost heart that she would ever wake up.

So, she told them what Archie had said and how she had gone to Gold to see if he could help.

“What exactly are you thinking Gold can do?” her father asked.

“I’m not sure,” she shrugged. “I need to find some way to communicate with her to get her to hear me and understand me. If this is really all in her head then I need to get her to believe that she deserves happiness and hope that is enough to wake her.”

“And you think this is all happening because Regina has feelings for you?” Snow said. It was a question, but Emma could tell her mom was looking for something more than a yes or no.

“She does have feelings for me,” Emma said. “I have feelings for her. We sort of kissed the night before all of this happened and admitted that there are mutual feelings – feelings that have been there for a while now. Based on what she happened to her in the attacks, I’d say she feared the two of you and how you would react to that.”

Emma bit her lip, knowing Regina was not the only one to have apprehension about that. Not that Emma had given it a lot of thought but she knew when she told them about Archie’s theory she would have to come clean about all of it since it was all intertwined.

“She has nothing to fear from us,” Snow said. “Your father and I aren’t going to stand in the way of love, especially when it comes to our daughter.”

“Thank you,” Emma replied.

“Let’s say Gold finds a way for you to communicate with Regina. What do you think you can say to her that will make a difference?” Charming asked. “For her to have done this to herself … well, that’s not going to be easy to break through.”

Emma had given this a lot of thought and she hadn’t really come to any decision about what to say. It was more like a feeling she felt she needed to convey to Regina and she only hoped the right words were there for her if she got the chance to tell her.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I don’t know that anything will make a difference, all I know is I have to try something, anything.”

“Tell her you love her,” Henry said.

“She knows I care for her and it didn’t prevent this from happening,” Emma said. “In fact, it may have made it worse. Whatever this is that is happening to her, if Archie is right, it’s not about what I feel for her or what you feel for her. It’s what she believes and that is what I’m struggling with. Dad’s right, that is not going to be easy to break through. I don’t know even know if Gold can do anything to help and if he can how much time I will get to communicate with her.”

“But you love her, don’t you?” Henry asked. “Maybe she just needs to hear you say it.”

“I wish it was that simple,” Emma said.

“Maybe it is,” Henry said.

As much as Emma wished Henry was correct, she didn’t think it would be that simple. There was nothing simple about any of this since the very beginning. And even if she could succeed in getting Regina to wake up, what then? She couldn’t expect everything to just magically be ok after that. If Regina truly had done this to herself then she had demons she would need to deal with.

Then there was the doubt that was already in Emma’s mind, wondering what help she could possibly be to Regina. She had been trying to keep those thoughts at bay but since the very beginning of this, she had felt inadequate because she hadn’t found who was hurting Regina. Now, she felt partly responsible for Regina doing this to herself.

She wondered if this is how Regina felt – full of doubts – and if she did feel that way how could Emma possibly reach her when she felt the same way.


	13. Chapter 13

Emma stood next to Regina’s bed, keeping her eyes on the sleeping brunette while she listened to Gold talk about how he was going to let her speak to Regina.

“You know, I am still not entirely sure this theory of yours is accurate,” Gold said.

“For the hundredth time, it’s not my theory,” Emma responded. “And frankly, I don’t care how she got into this state at this point, I just want you to do your thing, so I can talk to her.”

“My point is that I can’t guarantee that this will work since we don’t know for sure how she got like this,” Gold said. “My point is that perhaps you shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

Emma crossed her arms in front of her, trying not to think about the doubts she already had about all of this.

“It’s going to work,” Henry said. He was sitting in the chair next to Regina’s bed. Emma wasn’t sure about having him as an audience but she also didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. Henry wasn’t about to leave his mother’s side.

Her parents were also in the room, as they too wanted to be a part of this.

Gold had finally come up with something that he thought might allow her to speak with Regina – or speak to her consciousness at least. It would involve her being unconscious as well so they had brought another hospital bed into the room for her lay on.

She felt like her nerves were laid bare for anyone to see. She felt like she had one shot at this and if she failed … well, she didn’t know what to do if it failed.

She wished she could be as hopeful as Henry was.

Her mind had been full of thoughts of what she would say to Regina when she made contact with her consciousness. Unfortunately, while Gold thought he had found a way to connect their consciousnesses, he did not know what it was that she would experience. He told her that the best he could do was connect them and everything afterward would be up to her.

She had decided that the best she could do was be direct with Regina – just tell her that she was lying in a hospital in a coma and only she could wake herself up.

“Are you ready?” Gold asked her.

She nodded, feeling like her mouth was too dry to say the words.

Getting into position on the bed, Gold handed her a small vial filled with an amber colored liquid, which would put her to sleep.

“We’re going to be right here,” Charming said as he and Snow approached the bed. He kept his arm around his wife as they looked at their daughter.

Unbeknownst to Emma, the two had a long talk the night before about all that had been going on with their daughter’s obvious feelings for the woman that had once been their enemy. Snow, ever the optimist, believed that Regina had truly changed and that much of that change was due to Emma’s interactions with her over the years.

She knew the two women had grown close, but up until all of this, she had thought it was merely friendship. Now, looking at her daughter, she wondered how she hadn’t seen it sooner – that the feelings were deeper than a friendship.

Her worry now was that Regina would never wake up. It would devastate not only Henry and Emma, but all of them.

Emma looked at the them and then over to Henry and Regina.

“Bring her back,” Henry said.

“I’ll try,” Emma said.

She drank down the vial and settled down on the bed and wondered how long it would take before she fell asleep. She knew she had to be asleep before Gold could do the second part of his magic to connect her with Regina. He had been scarce on the details of it, and really it didn’t matter to her as long as it worked.

It was starting to hit her though and she felt her eyes start to close and she looked over at the other bed to where Regina lay.

She is so beautiful, Emma thought.

Her eyes shut but not before she glanced at Henry, but his focus was not on her – it was on his other mother.

 

“Do it,” Charming said to Gold once he saw his daughter was asleep.

“Are you sure about this?” Gold asked them.

While Gold hadn’t told Emma the details of what came next, he had told Charming and Snow, which was another part of why the two of them insisted on being there.

Snow nodded to him.

Gold said nothing as he approached Regina’s bed first. He glanced at Henry before picking up Regina’s left arm and made an incision on her forearm about three inches in length – being careful not to slice the vein. He then placed the flat part of the blade against it, coating it with her blood.

He then went over to Emma’s bed and made a similar slice on her right arm. Instead of putting the clear side of the blade against her like he had with Regina, he placed the bloodied side against it.

Once it was against the cut, he let dark magic flow into it. He didn’t keep it up very long – just long enough to make a magical connection between their blood.

“It’s done,” Gold said.

“Now, it’s up to Emma,” Charming said.

They hadn’t told Emma the specifics not because of the use of dark magic, but because Gold couldn’t guarantee that once the bond was made between the two of them that Emma would wake up if Regina didn’t.

Charming and Snow had agreed to it because they believed that Emma could do it, that she could bring Regina back.

 

 

Emma opened her eyes and looked over at the bed to Regina, who was still lying there asleep.

“It didn’t work,” Emma said sitting up. “Nothing happened. I didn’t get to …”

She paused when she realized she was alone in the room with Regina. Henry, her parents, not even Gold was present. Maybe she had been asleep so long that they gave up on watching her. Getting up, she went over to Regina’s bed and placed her hand on top of hers.

“I’m sorry,” she said, bending over and kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry.”

Backing up, she decided to go find her parents and see if they knew what went wrong.

When she left the room she was immediately stuck by how quiet it was. Looking to her right and then her left she didn’t see anyone. The nurse’s station was at the end of the corridor so she decided to start there.

As she walked, she glanced into a couple of rooms but they were empty.

Reaching the nurse’s station, she discovered it was empty. “Hello?” she called out.

Nothing but quiet.

There was nobody around.

“Hello,” she yelled louder this time. “Is anyone else here?”

Again, no answer. She went running down one of the other hallways, looking into rooms. Absolutely, no one.

“Regina,” she said, running back the way she came. She got back to the room but it was empty. “What the hell? What’s going on here?”

She backed out of the room and again yelled but got no answer. Again, she went rushing down hallways looking for anyone and calling out hoping for an answer. It wasn’t until she got down to the lobby that she realized the hospital must truly be empty.

Had something gone wrong with the spell, she wondered.

Trying to decipher anything magical was a waste of her time, so she decided to see if she could find someone – anyone.

Heading through the doors to the parking lot to get her car, she stopped. Suddenly, she was no longer standing outside of the hospital. In fact, as she turned around the hospital was gone.

She was standing in what appeared to be the courtyard of a castle in the middle of a crowd of a people.

“Where am I?” she asked.

But no one answered her. No one even looked at her.

“Hello?” she said, waving her hand in the face of a woman nearby who ignored her completely. She even tried to touch her but her hand passed right through her like she wasn’t even there. “Ok, this is clearly not normal.”

People appeared to be moving in one direction so she fell in with them hoping to get some answers to where she was.

“Hurry,” a man next to her said to the teenager with him. “I have been waiting to see the Evil Queen get hers for a lifetime.”

“Evil Queen. Regina,” Emma said, and she began to move quicker, weaving in and out of the people who still paid her no mind. She felt a little silly even trying to dodge them but it was more habit of how to walk through a crowd.

Once she got closer to the front of the crowd, she saw it -- a stake on a raised platform with someone tied to it.

Moving closer so she could see who was on it, she saw her parents on an even higher raised platform, decked out in royal attire.

“Mom, dad!” she yelled. But if they heard her, which she was beginning to doubt, they paid her no mind. Looking up at the other platform, she ran to the base of it. “Regina!”

Regina was tied at the stake, wearing only a grey shrift and Emma could see the fear in her eyes.

“Regina!” she yelled again, but Regina didn’t look at her either.

What was going on, she wondered. She looked all around her and saw no one she recognized outside of her parents and Regina. But it was the men who stood in front of her parents’ platform that now had her eye. They appeared to be guards of some sort and each was armed with a bow and arrow.

“No, no,” she said, realizing what the intent here was. “You can’t do this.”

She watched has her mother stood up and the crowd which had been speaking in hushed but excited tones quieted.

“You have been found guilty of crimes against the crown,” Snow said to Regina. “Do you have anything to say before judgement is passed?”

“Please,” Regina said. “Please don’t do this. I’ve changed Snow, you know this.”

There was laughter from the crowd and even Snow smiled. “All I know is that you usurped my kingdom, made my people suffer under your rule, killed indiscriminately,” Snow said. “You aren’t capable of change. And I think we have given you enough time in this world. Carry out the sentence of death.”

“No!” Emma screamed and she went running to the other side of the platform where she saw wooden stairs. If she could get Regina untied in time maybe she could use her magic to get them the both out of there.

But even as her foot hit the first stair she heard the twang of the bow strings and the crowd was cheering. As she got to the top she saw Regina’s body twitch.

She came around to face her, five arrows piercing her body as blood began to pour out of her.

“No, no,” Emma said touching Regina’s arm. As she did, Regina’s head, turned slightly and she made eye contact with Emma.

“Emma?” she coughed out, even as blood began to leak from her mouth.

“Yes, it’s me,” Emma said, feeling the tears in her eyes beginning to come out. “I’m here.”

Regina opened her mouth to say something else, but then her head slumped forward as the last breaths came out.

“No,” Emma said, lifting Regina’s head up. “No, come on, open your eyes. This can’t be it. Please, Regina. Open your eyes.”

But she didn’t.

Emma turned from and looked at the dais where her parents sat.   
“What have you done?” she screamed. “How could you do this? She changed. You knew she changed.”  
But her parents paid her no heed.

Feeling like her heart was doing triple time in her chest, she knelt on the platform, trying to make sense of this. This wasn’t happening, her mind told her. This had to be some sort of mistake, some magical mistake.

While she didn’t want to, she looked back up at Regina, but rose to her feet as Regina wasn’t there.

“Now what the hell is going on?” she questioned.

She stepped off the platform, looking all around her as she saw the courtyard and the people begin to fade. Now she definitely knew something magical was going on. At the far end of the fading, it appeared as if something else was materializing.

Realizing that trying to run from it would be pointless as the fading was happening as if a circle was collapsing in on itself, she stood there waiting for it to reach her. As it did, she blinked and found she was standing on Main Street in Storybrooke.

“At least this is familiar,” she said out loud. But she was still at a loss as to what was happening.

She called out once more in the hopes that maybe this time someone would hear her and respond. Again, she was greeted with silence.

Deciding she should return to the hospital and hope that Regina was there, she began to walk. But she hadn’t gotten very far when she heard voices up ahead. Hurrying, she turned down the next street and stopped.

This isn’t right, she thought. She was suddenly on Mifflin Street where Regina lived, but that shouldn’t have been the road she turned on. Despite the strangeness of it all, she hoped this meant that she would find Regina at her home.

She began to run down the street and as she neared the mansion she heard the voices louder this time. There was a crowd of people gathered outside of Regina’s home and they were yelling at her to come out.

By the time she reached the back of the crowd she heard what sounded like an axe hitting wood. Moving around the people she saw that one of the dwarves was taking an actual axe to the door of the mansion. It didn’t take long for it to break and four of the dwarves led by Grumpy ran inside. They dragged Regina out a moment later to the cheers of the crowd.

“Stop,” Emma yelled, even though she was already beginning to feel like this was what had happened before when she had been unable to stop them from killing Regina.

Like before, no one seemed to be paying attention to her, except Regina who stopped struggling with her captors and looked over at her.

“Regina,” Emma said coming closer. “Can you see me? Can you hear me?”

But Regina didn’t respond as they dragged her away from the house.

Emma followed as they drug Regina out into the middle of the street where once again her parents were standing. The dwarves brought Regina up to them, stopping just out of arm’s length of them.

Emma noticed her father had his sword in his hand and she rushed to stand between them and Regina.

“Whatever you are thinking of doing, don’t,” she said.

But like before, it was like she wasn’t there.

“You have been found guilty of crimes against the people of Storybrooke,” Snow said. “The sentence is death, to be carried out immediately.”

Snow stepped aside and Charming took her spot in front of Emma and Regina. He pulled back the sword.

“No!” Emma yelled, but it didn’t do any good as he thrust the sword at her. It moved through her and struck Regina in the gut.

Emma turned even as the sword was still “through” her and Charming twisted the sword one way then the other way. Once he did that, he pulled it from her and Emma watched as Regina fell to her knees, using her hand to cover the wound.

Emma knelt in front of her and Regina made eye contact with her.

“Can you see me?” Emma asked.

“Emma,” she said.

As soon as she said it, Emma used her hand to cover Regina’s, pressing down to help stop the bleeding. At least she could touch her even if she couldn’t touch anyone else. Emma looked around and saw that they were alone in the street – everyone else had disappeared.

“Come on,” Emma said, helping Regina to her feet. “Let’s get you inside where we can get something to help with this.”

Somehow she managed to get Regina inside and on the couch. She left her there, telling her she would be right back, as she ran to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of towels. Coming back, she moved Regina’s hand out of the way and pressed a towel onto the wound. It caused Regina to cry out in pain.

“I know it hurts,” Emma said. “But we have to stop the bleeding.” Even as she said it, she knew there was only way this was going to end – with Regina’s death again.

Even as she thought she wondered if this would indeed be a real death this time. The spell – it was meant to connect her to Regina’s consciousness and she was beginning to think that maybe that was where she was at.

“Emma,” Regina said as she took a shuddering breath.

“Stay with me,” Emma commanded. “Don’t even think about closing your eyes. You just stay with me. We’re going to figure this out. I don’t think any of this is real. It can’t be, so I need you to help me, ok, can you do that?”

From the expression on her face, Regina was clearly confused and her eyes were starting to close so Emma knew she didn’t have much time.

“Regina, this isn’t real,” she said. “You and I we’re not really here and you weren’t just stabbed. We’re in the hospital – both of us are. You’re in a coma and … and Gold he did something so I could speak to you, like I’m speaking to you now. But I don’t know how to stop any of this and get you to wake up. I need you to wake up.”

Regina’s eyes had closed a couple of times already but she fought to keep them open as she at least appeared to be listening to Emma. But it was all for naught as the closed her eyes for the last time.

“No, not again,” Emma said. She stood and looked down at Regina’s body and willed it to disappear like last time, but it didn’t. She closed her own eyes hoping when she opened them that this would have all disappeared but that didn’t happen either.

Regina’s blood was on both of her hands and Emma stared at them a moment before going into the bathroom where she scrubbed at both of them in hopes of getting them clean.

As she scrubbed her hands, she forced herself to calm down and try and think this through. She was fairly confident now that none of this was real, so Regina’s “death” out there hadn’t happened just as it hadn’t happened in the last one.

But this had to be part of the magic, part of the way in which she was supposed to be able to communicate with Regina.

Each time she had been able to get Regina to recognize that she was there, but she hadn’t been able to do it in time to prevent the deaths, not that she was physically able to do it anyway. So far, the only person she had been able to touch was Regina.

Did it mean she had to get to Regina quicker – before anyone could have the chance to harm her?

She was still thinking it through as she walked back out to the living room, but Regina was no longer there, nor was there any evidence such as blood to say that it had ever happened. Unlike before though, Emma’s surroundings weren’t changing.

The sound of the doorbell ringing startled her. Turning to see who was there, she instead saw Regina walking to the door.

“Regina!”

Regina paused a moment but didn’t look in her direction and then continued toward the door.

“Regina, don’t answer it,” Emma yelled as she ran after her. While she didn’t know who was at the door, Emma knew it couldn’t be good. Whatever this was, it must have reset itself again.

Emma got to the door in time to see Regina open it and to see her parents standing there smiling.

“Can we come in?” Snow asked.

Emma watched as Regina let them in and no sooner had she closed the door and turned toward them that Charming punched, knocking her unconscious.

“Take her into the office,” Snow commanded and Charming picked her up and carried her in there. Snow knocked down the stand that was in the foyer as she followed her husband.

Emma stood there staring down at the stand. It looked just it had the day Henry and her had come there only to find Regina tied to a chair in the office. It’s happening again, she thought.

If she was indeed in Regina’s mind then was Regina reliving not only the attacks on her, but new ones as well, Emma wondered.

She made it to the office where her parents already had Regina tied to the chair and were hooking up the electricity. Odd, Emma thought, her parents hadn’t brought anything in with them so how did the box appear?

“You really were doing this to yourself,” Emma said softly.

It was the only thing that made sense. Archie was right. Regina had been torturing herself without knowing it – and by the looks of it, she still was only now it was only in her mind.

Ignoring her parents entirely, she went over to Regina and touched her on the shoulder. “Regina, wake up,” Emma said, shaking her slightly. “Come on, open your eyes.”

She felt a twinge of déjà vu even as she said it.

Regina opened her eyes a moment later but she wasn’t looking at Emma, she was looking at her parents.

“No,” Emma said. “Don’t look at them, look at me.”

“What is going on here?” Regina demanded.

Emma got between Regina and her parents, not even paying attention to the conversation. She noticed her father walk around to stand behind the chair and she knew what was going to happen next if she couldn’t get this to stop.

She needed Regina to know she was there, needed her to see her.

“Regina,” she said again. “Regina, I don’t know how any of this works, but I need you to hear my voice. I need you to see me. It’s me Emma and I’m standing right here in front you.”

The first shock was administered and then another, but despite her pleas, Regina wasn’t responding her. Emma took a step back and wondered why she couldn’t get Regina to see like she had before. What was different about this time?

She walked around letting the scene play out even though it took all her willpower not try to help. What was happening to Regina now was exactly as she had stated it happened before. What her parents had said, what her parents had done was all the same.

This is what Regina had believed had happened to her that first time.

The difference she could see between this and what had happened the other two times Emma had witnessed this dreamscape for lack of a better word was in this scenario she knew Regina didn’t die.

It finally ended and her parents left the room, leaving the device on to keep administering shocks. Emma removed the wires from the device and then the gag from Regina’s mouth and knelt down in front of her.

“Regina, look at me,” she said. She placed a hand on Regina’s leg. “Come on, look at me.”

Regina’s eyes had been fluttering a bit after that last shock and Emma hoped that she could get her to respond. She needed Regina to respond so they could start figuring this out because if she was certain about one thing it was that she couldn’t get out of this without Regina.

It took a couple of more tries, but Regina finally opened her eyes fully and looked at Emma.

“Listen to me, because I don’t how much time we have,” Emma said. “This, none of this is real. I mean yes it happened before sort of, but it’s not happening again. Regina, you are in a coma. You’re lying in a hospital bed right now unconscious and Gold, well, he did some magic stuff so I could talk to you. I need you to wake up in the real world.”

“I don’t … your parents were just here.”

“No, no they weren’t. I need you to trust me. Believe what I’m telling you. My parents didn’t hurt you just now – it wasn’t real. None of this is real. It’s only happening in your mind,” Emma said standing up, and offering her hand to Regina, who paused before taking it.

Emma helped to her feet, but noticed she was not at 100 percent and she wondered how much of all this was real to Regina – she was guessing all, but some part of her must know it wasn’t or at least enough of her trusted Emma.

“You ok?” Emma asked.

“Hardly,” Regina replied. “Maybe you could start with explaining what you mean when you said it wasn’t real because this feels real enough to me. I mean have your parents gone insane?”

Emma wasn’t sure now was the time to point out that Regina probably shouldn’t be questioning anyone’s mental health so kept quiet about that.

“Maybe we should go sit down,” Emma offered. “I can explain, I think.”

Emma helped Regina into the main room and onto the couch, keeping a hold of her hand the entire time. She finally released it and remained standing.

“Ok, I know how this is going to sound,” Emma said. “But I’m fairly sure we are inside your mind right now, not out there in the real world.”

“And why would you think that?”

“You really don’t remember any of this do you?” Emma asked. Somehow she just assumed that even in her own mind Regina would know what had happened before.

“Remember what?”

“This, the attack by … by people who look like my parents but aren’t my parents? It sort of happened before, although not exactly.”

“You aren’t making any sense.”

“I know,” Emma said, getting frustrated because she didn’t know what she was doing or how to explain any of this.

“You said I was in the hospital,” Regina said, after Emma had paused. “Why was I in the hospital?”

“Not was, you are in a hospital right now, out there in the real world, both of us our lying in hospital beds. Henry is there waiting for us to both wake up.”

“Henry…” Regina said, and she looked toward the kitchen area with an expression that Emma couldn’t read. She was staring long enough that even Emma glanced that way.

“Yes, Henry is waiting for us,” Emma continued, bringing Regina’s attention back to her. “He’s worried, but I promised him I would bring you back. The problem is, now that I’m here in your mind with you, I have no idea how to get either of us out of here.”

“You still haven’t explained why I was in the hospital.”

“You know that’s not really important right now, the important thing is getting you out of here.”

“Emma,” Regina said. “How did I end up in a hospital?”

“We don’t know exactly,” Emma said, which was the truth – sort of.

Regina stood up and she again glanced toward the kitchen. Emma also looked over and she wondered if Regina maybe remembered that is where she was when she fell into a coma. She was about to ask when Regina turned back toward her.

“This isn’t real.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“No,” Regina said, backing away from her. “You aren’t real. You can’t be telling the truth.”

“Regina, I’m telling you the truth.”

“No,” she said again. “Even if I’m in the hospital as you say and this is all in my mind, it would be impossible for you to be here.”

Emma’s attention went to just behind Regina. It looked as if the background was fading. Oh no, she thought, it was happening again.

“I told you Gold used magic,” Emma said. “Now, we don’t have a lot of time …”

“Dark magic,” Regina said, backing up again. “Gold could only use dark magic to get you here.”

She continued to back up so that she was close to where it was now fading. Emma stepped forward.   
“Regina, I need you to come this way,” Emma said, motioning for her. “We can hash this out together but you need to come this way.”

Regina took another step back and she reached where things were fading. As she did, she disappeared.

“Damn it,” Emma swore. “You have got to be kidding me.”

She stood there waiting for everything to reset itself so she could again find Regina and hopefully this time choose the right words to convince her she was telling the truth.


End file.
